AI's Earvolution

As AI continues its relentless evolution, there's almost always a new gadget vying for our attention, frequently disappearing as quickly as it arose (anyone remember the Humane Pin or the Rabbit R1? No, thought not …).

This time could be different, however. Jony Ive – the design maestro behind some of Apple's most iconic products, including the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods – is teaming up with OpenAI to create a physical device which will bring AI to masses, as his iPhone did for mobile computing.

Due to a court case States-side, we’ve been given a peek into what they’re planning. However, rumours about this new device being an in-ear one has been denied furiously by the company. I almost think that they protest too much ...

How do we know that this is even under consideration? A company named "iyO"  has taken legal action against Jony Ive's company, now under OpenAI's umbrella, for alleged copyright infringement. The bone of contention? Allegedly a strikingly similar in-ear device that claims to listen, comprehend, and act.

Imagine a sleek device nestled in your lug-hole, not just playing music or taking calls, but actively listening, understanding, and responding to the world around you. It's a step beyond AirPods, infused with artificial intelligence that makes it as indispensable as your mobile phone. That would make sense. But OpenAI is denying that it's this delivery mechanism at all (mmmmm ....)

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Beyond the tech gossip, this is a glimpse into a future where AI is not just an abstract concept but a tangible part of our lives. As the legal dust settles and prototypes begin to surface, I think one thing is certain: there will be at least one entity to whisper sweet nothings in your ear - and this could be a winner in the great AI device race.

For estate agents and property professionals, this could mean new ways to engage with clients, offering personalised property insights and updates directly through these intelligent earpieces. Some this might feel like a ‘cheat’, dropping decades of knowledge into the most inexperienced valuers’ ears. I think the opposite – yes, AI will deliver information so accessibly that we’ll soon expect that everyone can know everything. But this is where human judgement is going to be so, so important.

The inexperienced valuer will just blurt out facts and not know how to weave these into the compelling narrative – one that speaks to human skills selling homes for the best price in the timeframes required. On-demand AI intel will remove the need for great agents to spend ages memorising comparables – they can spend ages understanding the client instead.

But make no mistake – even if the Ive/OpenAI collab doesn’t deliver the comprehensive AI in-ear device for everyone (I think their denial is a elite-level subterfuge to throw competitors off), someone else will.

We’re going to have access to intelligence on demand regardless of its form-factor. So who’s going to be smart enough to use it to its full potential?