In a recent post on X, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, expressed high admiration for Apple’s Vision Pro, hailing it as the “second most impressive” technology since the groundbreaking iPhone debut in 2007. Altman’s praise comes just days after the Vision Pro’s official market release at $3,500 each.
Altman emphasized the transformative potential of the mixed-reality headset, which seamlessly integrates digital media with the real world, allowing users to control applications using their eyes and fingers. Business Insider’s Jordan Hart suggested that the Vision Pro could bring about a new norm akin to the revolutionary impact of the iPhone over 15 years ago.
While acknowledging the Vision Pro’s significance, Altman stopped specifying the technology he considers the most impressive over the past 17 years. Speculation points towards artificial intelligence, particularly OpenAI’s ChatGPT, launched in November 2022. Altman has previously asserted that AI is poised to reshape the world, comparable to the revolutionary impact of the iPhone.
ChatGPT, under Altman’s vision, has already begun influencing various industries and daily life, with plans to evolve it into a “super smart personal assistant” for work. Despite Altman’s affection for the capabilities of ChatGPT, he expressed reservations about its name. Responding to a user’s criticism of the Vision Pro’s name, Altman quipped, “ChatGPT is a lot worse.” This is not the first time Altman has disparaged the naming conventions of OpenAI, having previously called it a “horrible name” during an interview on Trevor Noah’s podcast in December. Despite his reservations, Altman acknowledged that the name may be too entrenched to change given its ubiquity.
While lauding Apple’s Vision Pro, Altman leaves the top spot in his rankings for another, possibly artificial intelligence, reflecting innovative technologies’ ongoing impact and potential in shaping the future.