OpenAI officially acquires Jony Ive’s AI hardware startup ‘io’ for $6.5B. Ive and LoveFrom will lead design of OpenAI’s first AI device, expected to be screen-free and context-aware.
Jony Ive and OpenAI’s Mysterious AI Device Could Become a Reality Soon As Merger Completes
OpenAI has officially wrapped up its massive $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive’s AI hardware startup, io Products. In a letter from CEO Sam Altman and legendary designer Jony Ive, the companies announced that io has now fully merged into OpenAI, while Ive’s design firm LoveFrom remains independent but deeply involved.
This marks a huge step for OpenAI as it ventures into hardware, and it’s bringing Apple’s design DNA along for the ride. Ive and his team, made up of several former Apple designers, will lead the design of OpenAI’s future AI devices. Meanwhile, OpenAI brings the brainpower, fusing cutting-edge AI with next-gen hardware.
“Surely there’s something beyond these legacy products,”
Jony Ive
What Kind of Device Is Coming?
Early reports suggest the device won’t be a wearable or in-ear gadget. Instead, think something small and intelligent, a pocket companion or desk buddy designed to sit alongside your iPhone and Mac.
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The goal? A context-aware, screen-free AI device that understands your environment and daily life, all without being intrusive. It’s still under wraps, but this feels like the first major push toward the post-smartphone era.
Why It Matters
- OpenAI now has design firepower to match its AI smarts.
- Jony Ive’s involvement gives this project serious credibility.
- A hardware revolution could be brewing, built from the ground up around AI.
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