OpenAI is expected to develop robots and quantum computing hardware, in addition to AI terminals and server chips, led by ChatGPT.
On the 3rd (local time), TechCrunch reported that OpenAI submitted a trademark registration application for OpenAI and related products to the Korean Intellectual Property Office on the 31st of last month.
TechCrunch explained that this application provided hints about not just the products that OpenAI is planning to launch in the short term, but also about future product lines.
The application included devices such as headphones, goggles, glasses, remote controls, laptop and phone cases, smartwatches, smart accessories, and virtual and augmented reality headsets.
Notably, the trademark registration application also included robots. OpenAI specified that the robots are "humanoid robots" equipped with communication and learning functions to help and entertain people.
OpenAI has recently begun forming a new robotics team. It has recruited Caitlin Calinoski, who previously led the hardware team in the augmented reality division of Meta Platforms last November. OpenAI is reported to aim to test robots with human-like intelligence in real-world environments using customized sensors and AI.
Additionally, the application mentioned services related to customized AI chips and the use of quantum computing resources for "optimizing AI model performance."
OpenAI is already pursuing the development of customized chips to run its own AI models. It operates a department for cooperative design of chip components and is collaborating with semiconductor manufacturer Broadcom and the world's largest foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), with a goal to launch customized chips by 2026.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who visited Japan, noted in an interview with Nihon Keizai Shimbun that the company is "internally responding" to the semiconductor development necessary for AI development and operation, suggesting independent chip development.
OpenAI seems likely to integrate its self-designed semiconductors into its data centers.
Regarding quantum computing, OpenAI's related plans have not yet been specifically disclosed. However, TechCrunch reported that the company hired engineers who were in charge of quantum system design at the quantum computing startup PsiQuantum last year.
Quantum computing has the potential to drastically improve the efficiency of AI model training by performing vast computations simultaneously.
In a situation where AI training incurs significant expense, TechCrunch speculated that OpenAI might be envisioning a future where models are trained on hardware with an entirely different structure.
In a prior interview with Nikkei, CEO Altman mentioned that in addition to semiconductor development, the company plans to release AI-specific terminals through partnerships with American corporations.
Johnny Ive, a designer formerly with Apple who designed the iPhone, has been reported to be working on an AI hardware project with OpenAI.
However, TechCrunch noted that trademark applications are often broadly written and do not necessarily directly reflect a corporation's product roadmap, suggesting that OpenAI's application may involve initiatives the startup is exploring or has once considered.