Reflection on the announcement by OpenAI a while ago

Today left me pondering the state of technological progress post-pandemic. There's this constant stream of grand announcements from big tech companies, but more often than not, they're all smoke and mirrors.

Take the recent announcement from OpenAI, where Sam Altman and Jony Ive teased a new product. The video was full of lofty ideas but no real detail. Just another vague promise that leaves me wondering if we're running in circles.

Everyone's talking about innovation, but it feels like we're stuck in a cycle of empty promises.

What makes it even more disheartening is that I've always looked up to Jony Ive. For the past decade, he's been one of the most influential designers I admire. His work has always been about human-centered design and putting the user first. But now, even he seems drawn into this commercial trap—succumbing to the pressures of modern consumerism and capitalist hype cycles. It's frustrating, even saddening, to see someone I admired for their principles now part of the same machine. It's as if the values of true design—the ones centered on actual human experience—are being eroded by the need to chase the next big financial win.

Maybe we're in an era where complexity, bureaucracy and hype are overshadowing real, tangible progress. I can't help but feel skeptical about whether any of these big ideas will actually materialise—or if they're just keeping us distracted while nothing really changes.