Midjourney, known for its advanced AI image generation, is now branching into hardware development. The company announced its new direction on X (formerly Twitter), inviting people to join its burgeoning hardware team. While details remain scarce, Midjourney hinted at exploring “different form factors” and possibly creating something immersive. The company even playfully suggested the hardware might be something you could “go inside of,” though this was likely a joke.
A significant move in this venture was the hiring of Ahmad Abbas, a former Apple Vision Pro headset Hardware Engineering Manager, to lead the hardware division. Abbas has a strong background in virtual reality and hardware, having worked with Midjourney CEO David Holz at Leap Motion, further signaling that Midjourney’s hardware ambitions might involve innovative, VR-related technology.
This shift into hardware comes at a competitive time, with Midjourney facing rivals like Flux and Ideogram in the AI image generation space. As AI-powered devices have had a challenging history, with even giants like Meta and Snapchat struggling to meet sales goals for smart glasses, Midjourney will need to deliver something truly unique and innovative to stand out. The hardware could potentially offer new ways to interact with AI-generated visuals or venture into the metaverse, though these possibilities remain speculative for now.
