OpenAI and Jony Ive’s recent announcement has made one thing clear: we’re about to cross a new threshold in the history of technology.
Not because of what was shown — but precisely because of what wasn’t: a device with no screen, no keyboard, and unlike anything we’ve used before.
This is the first physical device developed by IO — the new company formed by OpenAI and legendary designer Jony Ive — and it promises to take ChatGPT off the screen and into the real world.
OpenAI hasn’t unveiled a phone, glasses, or a smartwatch. They’ve introduced a new hardware category, which Sam Altman calls the “third essential object” on your desk — next to your laptop and phone.
But unlike those two, this one doesn’t need to be looked at. It’s always there, listening, understanding the context, and responding precisely. No tapping, no icons, no scrolling. Just natural interaction.
This is the ultimate leap for the digital assistant: from something you consult, to something that accompanies you.
With this revolution come inevitable questions for data, product, and marketing teams. If there are no clicks, no screens, no user sessions… how do we know if something is working?
Here are a few key ideas:
Voice interaction
Engagement is measured by activation frequency, usage context, and type of query. It becomes more conversational — but also more situational.
Contextual sensors
Devices like IO’s capture proximity, movement, temperature, or even behavioral patterns to determine when and how to step in.
Edge computing
Processing happens on the device itself — not in the cloud. That means faster responses, greater privacy, and measurement based on contextual events, not visual interactions.
Another front is changing: positioning.
When queries are no longer typed, but spoken — and no longer go through search engines, but through assistants — we fully enter the era of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
We no longer optimize to be seen in Google. We optimize to be selected by an AI response.
AEO checklist for the screenless era:
Use conversational language — think how your customer speaks, not how they search
Focus on user intent, not isolated keywords
Create concise, structured content that language models can easily interpret
Implement Schema Markup and microdata
And most importantly: think in terms of useful answers, not pretty results
The IO device from OpenAI isn’t just a new gadget. It’s a paradigm shift.
It’s no longer about seeing more, but interacting better.
No longer about counting views, but understanding context.
No longer about designing screens, but designing moments.
This is the future in front of us: invisible interfaces, assistants embedded in our environment, and experiences where AI isn’t across the screen… it’s by your side.
Are we ready to measure what can’t be seen?
To optimize what’s not being searched?
To design for what doesn’t exist yet?