In this episode of The Next Thing Now, Rob and Kevin explore one of the most curious moves in recent technology news: OpenAI’s acquisition of the design firm led by Sir Jony Ive. The deal, estimated at a speculative £5.1 billion, was made entirely in OpenAI equity. There is no released product, no public roadmap—just 55 former Apple engineers and the reputation of one of the world’s most iconic designers.
On the surface, OpenAI appears to have acquired a consultancy and some intellectual property. Rob and Kevin question whether there is a secret prototype in development or whether Sam Altman is simply buying design cachet. Is this strategic investment, or a high-profile branding exercise?
They also critique the announcement video, calling it “uncanny” and “possibly AI-generated.” Set in a high-gloss café with awkward dialogue and surreal third-person references, it came across as more Black Mirror than big tech product reveal.
Speculation around the product itself is rampant. Is it a pendant, a desk gadget, or something more unusual? Rumours point to a wearable or portable device that is not intended to replace your phone or laptop, but to work alongside them. This so-called “third device” raises serious questions around privacy and form factor. Will users really wear a digital choker with a microphone and camera?
Kevin reflects on how we once dismissed smartphones as unnecessary, yet now cannot live without them. Could we be seeing the start of a similar shift?
The conversation moves to software development and the agentic future—where intelligent, task-based agents begin to replace manual processes. Tools like Cursor are already introducing agents that detect bugs, document code, and even act as architectural assistants.
Yet the reality has not caught up with the hype. Developers who were initially sceptical are now embracing these tools, but many are finding them inconsistent, forgetful and frustrating. The models are good, but they fall short of expectations. This, Rob and Kevin suggest, could be the peak of inflated expectations. The dip of disillusionment might be just around the corner.
They argue this is not a failure of the technology, but a gap between what the tools can do and how well people understand how to use them.
A major thread in the episode is how organisations should adapt their hiring processes to an AI-enabled world. Rob shares a set of interview questions designed to assess AI readiness in candidates. These include prompts like “How do you use AI in your life?” and “Tell me about a time you used AI to solve a problem.”
Kevin agrees that these questions can help gauge how deeply AI has permeated someone’s thinking, but he stops short of suggesting they should be make-or-break. A candidate may not yet have experience with AI tools, but that should not exclude them if they bring the right mindset and potential to adapt.
This, they argue, is an important signal of where we are in the maturity curve. AI is not yet assumed knowledge in the way email or web browsing is. We are still in the early stages of mainstream adoption.
While headlines focus on artificial general intelligence and futuristic breakthroughs, Rob and Kevin ground the discussion in the practical reality of today’s tools. The AI that already exists is transforming the workplace. It is automating workflows, changing job descriptions and quietly reshaping organisational charts across industries.
The change is not hypothetical. It is happening now, and it will continue to accelerate. Even if current models do not reach true AGI, they are already powerful enough to alter how professional services operate.
They conclude that we are entering a phase of maturity and refinement. The next two years will be focused on adoption, adjustment and integration. AI tooling will improve. Users will become more comfortable. Businesses will reconfigure themselves to suit the new landscape.
As hiring managers, team leaders and business owners, we must rethink what we expect from people. Job titles may remain the same, but the roles themselves have already changed. The organisations that adapt quickest will be best positioned to benefit from what is coming next.