OpenAI has onboarded Caitlin Kalinowski, the engineering specialist behind Meta’s augmented reality hardware, to take charge of its consumer hardware and robotics efforts. The strategic hire marks OpenAI’s most significant push into physical AI integration in years, as Kalinowski’s leadership experience from important projects is expected to improve the company’s direction. Her arrival comes at a pivotal time when OpenAI seeks to diversify its AI capabilities beyond the digital realm.
Kalinowski’s background includes leading Meta’s AR glasses project Orion, known for its advanced 70-degree field-of-view display and gesture control tech supported by multiple sensors. These innovations set a benchmark in AR development, making her expertise highly valuable to OpenAI, which may leverage her skills for similar consumer-facing AI hardware projects (Meta press briefing). She also honed her engineering craft at Apple, where she contributed to MacBook design. About her new role at OpenAI, Kalinowski wrote on LinkedIn:
“I’m delighted to share that I’m joining OpenAI to lead robotics and consumer hardware!
OpenAI and ChatGPT have already changed the world, improving how people get and interact with information and delivering meaningful benefits around the globe. AI is the most exciting engineering frontier in tech right now, and I could not be more excited to be part of this team.
In my new role, I will initially focus on OpenAI’s robotics work and partnerships to help bring AI into the physical world and unlock its benefits for humanity.
Thank you to the OpenAI team, Sam, Kevin Weil, PW, and to my friends and colleagues in engineering and beyond!”
Expanding Hardware Efforts: An Overhaul in Progress
OpenAI is clearly reshaping its leadership to match these ambitions. In June 2024, Sarah Friar was appointed as Chief Financial Officer, stepping in with extensive experience from Square and Nextdoor, where she served as CEO. Kevin Weil also came on board as Chief Product Officer, having led impactful product development at Twitter and Instagram. Both executives are tasked with steering OpenAI’s growth in complex financial and product landscapes.
Waves of Departures: A Transformative Year for OpenAI
Yet, it’s not just about the new hires. OpenAI has experienced significant turnover this year. In September, Mira Murati, the Chief Technology Officer credited with overseeing the development of ChatGPT, announced her departure to pursue a new artificial intelligence startup. The same month saw Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew and Vice President of Research Barret Zoph exit, each leaving a notable gap in the research arm. These changes come on the heels of Co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s exit in May, who left to launch a new AI safety venture called Safe Superintelligence, and John Schulman, who joined rival firm Anthropic.
Even President Greg Brockman has taken a sabbatical that will last until year-end, while Peter Deng, the former VP of Consumer Product, left amidst broader leadership shifts. Andrej Karpathy, another Co-founder and ex-Director of OpenAI, parted ways earlier this year, capping off a wave of departures that have reshaped the company.
What OpenAI’s Robotics Plans Might Look Like
While OpenAI has been a leader in software-based AI, its history with robotics has been turbulent. Earlier ventures included using reinforcement learning—a machine learning method where algorithms learn through rewards and penalties—to teach robots tasks. This field remains competitive, with rivals like Google DeepMind and Amazon Robotics setting a high bar. However, Kalinowski’s hire may reignite these efforts, and her influence could see OpenAI making consumer AI devices that redefine interaction norms.
Kalinowski’s arrival also coincides with ongoing work between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief. The duo is developing an AI-first device under LoveFrom, a project Altman describes as “not a smartphone,” yet aimed at revolutionizing AI interaction. Though it’s still years away, the anticipation is palpable.
Competitive Landscape: The Race for AI Hardware
OpenAI’s move into hardware comes at a time when tech giants like Apple and Tesla are pushing boundaries. Apple is developing human-like robots, and Tesla’s Optimus robot continues to draw headlines. Meta has also seen relative success with its now AI powered Ray-Ban glasses, even though they are far from full-fledged AR devices. The market for AI-driven gadgets is heating up, and OpenAI’s pivot could position it uniquely if executed well.
The stakes are high, and OpenAI’s ability to remain agile amid all the leadership changes will be key. Kalinowski’s task is immense, but her reputation and past achievements suggest she might be the right person to turn OpenAI’s hardware dreams into reality.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 2:12 pm CET
