Apple(US:AAPL) 机器之心·2025-09-20 04:37Core Viewpoint - OpenAI is actively recruiting hardware, design, and supply chain talent from Apple to accelerate its hardware development, leveraging Apple's supply chain network in China for production [2][5][11]. Group 1: Talent Acquisition - OpenAI has recruited over 20 employees from Apple's consumer hardware division, including engineers and designers specializing in user interface, wearables, camera, and audio engineering [5][11]. - Notable hires include Cyrus Daniel Irani, a user interface design director with nearly 15 years at Apple, and Matt Theobald, a veteran in manufacturing design [6][11]. - Many Apple employees are reportedly dissatisfied with the company's bureaucratic environment and gradual product improvements, prompting them to seek opportunities at OpenAI [11][16]. Group 2: Product Development - OpenAI is developing a range of hardware products, including a smart speaker without a display, smart glasses, digital voice recorders, and wearable pins, with a target launch by late 2026 or early 2027 [5][11]. - OpenAI has established partnerships with major Apple suppliers, including Luxshare Precision, which has secured assembly contracts for at least one OpenAI device [5][11]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - OpenAI's aggressive talent acquisition may complicate its collaboration with Apple, particularly as both companies are discussing integrating OpenAI's models into Apple's Siri [16]. - Apple's management is concerned about employee turnover, leading to the cancellation of an annual meeting for its manufacturing and supply chain teams in China [16]. - Historically, many companies have attempted to challenge Apple's dominance in hardware but have often failed, highlighting the risks OpenAI faces in this competitive landscape [16][17].