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The former head of Meta Orion’s augmented reality glasses project has joined OpenAI to lead the startup’s robotics and consumer hardware efforts.
Caitlin “CK” Kalinowski posted her new role on LinkedIn and Enter the physical world and unleash its benefits for humanity”.
OpenAI is popular for its viral chatbot ChatGPT, but the hiring highlights its apparent efforts in making and selling hardware. Former Apple executive Jony Ive, who helped design Apple’s most iconic products from the iMac to the iPhone, also collaborated with OpenAI to create an artificial intelligence device.
The news comes on the same day that OpenAI invested in San Francisco-based robotics startup Physical Intelligence, which raised $400 million at a post-money valuation of $2.4 billion. Other investors include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Thrive Capital, Lux Capital and Bond Capital.
According to its website, the startup is focused on “bringing general artificial intelligence into the physical world,” and it aims to do so by developing large-scale artificial intelligence models and algorithms to power robots.
Before taking on his new role at OpenAI, Kalinowski spent nearly two and a half years as head of hardware at Meta, where he led the company’s creation of Orion (previously codenamed Project Nazare), which the company bills as “the most advanced AR glasses ever made.” “. Meta launched its prototype glasses in September.
Before leading the Orion project, Kalinowski worked on virtual reality headsets at Meta-owned Oculus for more than nine years, and before that he spent nearly six years at Apple, where he helped design MacBooks, including Pro and Air models.
Kalinowski’s first day at OpenAI will be Tuesday, November 5, according to the LinkedIn post.
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