OpenAI has officially acquired io, the AI hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a massive $6.5 billion USD all-stock deal — the company’s largest acquisition to date.
Ive, best known for designing the iPhone and other iconic Apple products, launched io last year. The startup was already partially owned by OpenAI, which held a 23% minority stake. Now, io’s 55-member team of designers, engineers, and researchers will join OpenAI to help develop next-gen AI hardware products.
The acquisition stems from a two-year collaboration between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Jony Ive, and his design firm LoveFrom. The partnership, described as being built on “friendship, curiosity, and shared values,” evolved from conceptual ideas into real product designs.
As part of the acquisition, Jony Ive and LoveFrom will take on key creative leadership roles within both OpenAI and io. While specific products remain under wraps, reports suggest that OpenAI is developing consumer AI devices beyond traditional screens, possibly including headphones or smart camera hardware.
Altman stated, “AI is an incredible technology, but great tools require work at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding people and the world. No one can do this like Jony and his team.”
This acquisition signals a bold move by OpenAI into the consumer device market, combining its powerful AI research with Ive’s world-renowned design expertise.
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