Meta\’s ex-Orion hardware chief to join OpenAI
Meta’s AR Champ Takes a Bold Leap to OpenAI
When the AR glasses CEO at Meta, Caitlin Kalinowski, announced she’s heading to OpenAI as a robotics and consumer hardware leader, the tech world did a double‑take. It’s like a sci‑fi movie twist where the hero switches sides and brings their hardware wizardry with them.
From Ark to AI: Kalinowski’s Journey
- Started firing up Meta’s AR glasses team in March 2022.
- Led the crew that birthed Orion, the jaw‑dropping prototype displayed at Meta’s Connect conference.
- Spun the VR goggles for nine solid years before that.
- Pre-Meta stint at Apple—designed MacBook hardware, no doubt.
The Big Move
On LinkedIn, Kalinowski posted a short, but sweet note: “I’m delighted to share that I’m joining OpenAI to lead robotics and consumer hardware. 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.”
A Possible Collaboration with Jony Ive
Rumors are swirling about a partnership with Jony Ive’s LoveFrom, the new Apple‑born startup. Ive has hinted that the product is “an AI‑powered computing experience that is less socially disruptive than the iPhone.” If that’s true, mind‑blowing gadgets are on their way.
The Rebooted Robotics Effort
OpenAI has recently welcomed fresh research engineers into a newly stirred robots squad. The team aims to help partners weave OpenAI’s multimodal AI into hardware—something the lab set aside back in 2018 to focus on software.
Remember the robot hand that could learn to pick up objects on its own? That was the 2018 origin story. Now, the idea is to build that into real products.
Who’s Already Using OpenAI’s Models?
- Apple is getting ChatGPT in the iPhone—coming later in the year.
- Figure’s humanoid 01 robot talks naturally thanks to OpenAI’s software.
- Other companies are quietly integrating the tech too.
So, grab your coffee and stay tuned—the intersection of AR, robotics, and AI is heating up, and with Kalinowski at the helm, we might just see the next big leap into the tech universe.
