OpenAI and Johnny Ive, the former head of Apple's design department, are facing a series of technical challenges as they develop a new secret artificial intelligence device that aims to launch next year as one of the most anticipated tech products, according to a new report published by the Financial Times.

OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, acquired Ive's subsidiary Io for $6.5 billion in May, without revealing many details about the joint venture.

The collaboration aims to create a compact device without a screen that relies on capturing audio and visual signals from the surrounding environment to interact with users and respond to their requests. According to informed sources, the two teams have yet to reach definitive solutions to a set of fundamental issues that could delay the launch.

Ivey and his team have previously designed high-profile products such as Apple's iMac, iPod, and iPhone, and have completed the development of the physical side of the device, but challenges remain in the software and infrastructure required to operate it.

Current hurdles include identifying the persona of the smart assistant, addressing privacy issues, and budgeting appropriately for the computing capabilities needed to run OpenAI models at scale.

A source close to Ive told the newspaper that a lack of computing capabilities is one of the main reasons for the delays, explaining that companies such as Amazon and Google already have robust infrastructure to power their devices such as Alexa, while OpenAI is having difficulties providing the capabilities needed to even run ChatGPT.