OpenAI Acquires io for $6.5 Billion, Jony Ive to Lead Design

OpenAI has acquired io, a hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a $6.5 billion deal. As part of the acquisition, Ive will lead design at OpenAI and the company plans to develop a new generation of AI-native devices, with the first products expected to launch in 2026. The acquisition marks OpenAI's largest to date and signals its formal entry into the consumer hardware market. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has praised Ive's expertise, saying that creating great AI tools requires a blend of technology, design, and human understanding. The deal brings around 55 engineers and product developers from io into OpenAI, including former Apple veterans. OpenAI aims to build a new class of AI-centric devices, with Ive taking on deep creative and design responsibilities across OpenAI and io through his independent design firm, LoveFrom.

Key Takeaways

  • OpenAI has acquired io, a hardware startup co-founded by Jony Ive, in a $6.5 billion deal.
  • Jony Ive will lead design at OpenAI as part of the acquisition.
  • The company plans to develop a new generation of AI-native devices, with the first products expected to launch in 2026.
  • The acquisition marks OpenAI's largest to date and signals its formal entry into the consumer hardware market.
  • OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has praised Ive's expertise, saying that creating great AI tools requires a blend of technology, design, and human understanding.
  • The deal brings around 55 engineers and product developers from io into OpenAI, including former Apple veterans.
  • OpenAI aims to build a new class of AI-centric devices.
  • Jony Ive will take on deep creative and design responsibilities across OpenAI and io through his independent design firm, LoveFrom.
  • The acquisition is an all-stock deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion.
  • OpenAI already owns 23% of io Products and is paying $5 billion for the remaining stake in the company.

OpenAI buys Jony Ive's io

OpenAI has acquired io, a hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a $6.5 billion deal. Ive will lead design at OpenAI as part of the acquisition. The company plans to develop a new generation of AI-native devices, with the first products expected to launch in 2026. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has praised Ive's expertise, saying that creating great AI tools requires a blend of technology, design, and human understanding.

OpenAI recruits Jony Ive

OpenAI has recruited Jony Ive, the designer behind Apple's iPhone, to lead a new hardware project for the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT. OpenAI said it is acquiring io, a product and engineering company co-founded by Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion. Ive worked at Apple for over two decades and is known for his work on iconic iPhone, iMac, and iPad designs.

OpenAI acquires io

OpenAI is making its most ambitious move into consumer technology yet, acquiring io, a hardware startup founded by legendary former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a deal valued at approximately $6.5 billion. The acquisition will bring around 55 engineers and product developers from io into OpenAI, including former Apple veterans Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan. Ive will not join OpenAI directly but will take on deep creative and design responsibilities across OpenAI and io through his independent design firm, LoveFrom.

Jony Ive joins OpenAI

The legendary designer behind Apple's iPhone, Jony Ive, has joined OpenAI to create devices tailored for using generative artificial intelligence, according to a video posted Wednesday by the ChatGPT maker. Ive and his team will take over design at OpenAI as part of an acquisition of his startup named 'IO' valued at $6.5 billion. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said in the video that a prototype Ive shared with him 'is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.'

OpenAI recruits Jony Ive

OpenAI has recruited Jony Ive, the designer behind Apple’s iPhone, to lead a new hardware project for the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT. OpenAI said it is acquiring io, a product and engineering company co-founded by Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion. Ive became renowned for a meticulous design aesthetic that shaped the cultural zeitgeist during a 27-year career at Apple, which he left in 2019.

OpenAI buys io

OpenAI buys ex-Apple designer Jony Ive's AI company for $6.5 billion to build AI hardware products. About two years ago, we first heard about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman secretly working with famed Apple designer Jony Ive on an AI hardware product. But now, the secret is out. OpenAI has confirmed that it is stepping into the world of hardware with a $6.5 billion acquisition of io Products, a startup co-founded by Ive.

OpenAI acquires io

OpenAI will acquire io, an AI device startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion, according to a report from Economic Daily News citing Bloomberg. The transaction marks OpenAI’s largest acquisition to date and signals its formal entry into the hardware sector in partnership with the iconic designer.

Sam Altman taps Jony Ive

OpenAI is making its biggest push into consumer technology by acquiring io, a hardware startup founded by legendary former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a deal valued around $6.5 billion. This mostly all-equity acquisition brings roughly 55 engineers and product developers—including ex-Apple veterans Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan, who helped create the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch—into OpenAI.

OpenAI buys io

OpenAI has acquired io, the AI hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a $6.5 billion all-equity deal. The acquisition is by far OpenAI’s largest to date and signals the AI firm's entry into the AI-enabled consumer hardware market. It already owns 23% of io Products and is paying $5 billion for the remaining stake in the company.

OpenAI buys Jony Ive's io

OpenAI announced that it is acquiring io, the hardware-based AI startup co-founded by Former Apple executive Jony Ive. Ive has been working with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on io for two years, and the duo are planning to develop a family of AI devices. In the video above, Altman and Ive outlined their partnership and what they expect to create as a result of the merger.

OpenAI buys Jony Ive's AI firm

OpenAI has acquired hardware startup io Products, founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, in a $6.5 billion equity deal. Ive will now join the company as creative head, aiming to craft cutting-edge hardware for the era of generative AI. The move signals OpenAI’s intention to build its own hardware platform instead of relying on existing ecosystems like Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android.

OpenAI to acquire io

AI company OpenAI has announced plans to acquire io, an AI device startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $6.5bn, Bloomberg reported. The acquisition, said to be the largest in OpenAI’s history, will establish a dedicated unit within the company focused on developing AI-powered devices.

OpenAI acquires Jony Ive's startup

In a move that signals a shift in the tech industry’s race to redefine hardware for the artificial intelligence (AI) age, OpenAI has acquired the design-focused hardware startup io, co-founded by former Apple designer Sir Jony Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion. The all-equity acquisition is OpenAI’s largest deal to date and marks the company’s formal entry into consumer hardware.

OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive's io

OpenAI acquires ex-Apple design chief Jony Ive’s AI hardware company io for $6.5 billion USD. The all-stock deal was largely due to a two year collaboration between Ive and Sam Altman. The deal marks OpenAI’s largest acquisition to date and a significant move into the consumer hardware market.

OpenAI recruits iPhone designer

OpenAI said it is acquiring io, a product and engineering company co-founded by Mr Ive, in a deal valued at nearly 6.5 billion dollars. OpenAI said its CEO Sam Altman had been ‘quietly’ collaborating since 2023 with Mr Ive and his design firm, LoveFrom. Mr Ive worked at Apple for more than two decades and is known for his work on the iPhone, iMac and iPad designs.

OpenAI's $6.5 Billion Move

In a stunning development, Jony Ive, the designer behind Apple’s iPhone, iMac, iPod, and iPad, is now partnered with OpenAI, which marks a transformative moment in the realm of AI hardware. OpenAI’s acquisition of Ive’s AI device venture, io, in an all-stock transaction valued at about 6.5 billion, constitutes the company’s most significant acquisition to date and an aggressive stride toward building a new class of AI-centric devices.

Sam Altman and Jony Ive Unite

Jony Ive, the celebrated creative mind behind the design of legendary Apple products like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, left Apple in 2019 to start his own design firm, LoveFrom. Since then, he has focused on select design projects ranging from the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable to the coronation emblem for King Charles III. But in 2023, he took a decisive step back into the tech world by co-founding io, a startup focused solely on AI hardware innovation.

OpenAI to Acquire AI Hardware Startup

OpenAI is set to acquire a promising artificial intelligence hardware startup founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive in a landmark $6.5 billion deal paid entirely in stock. This acquisition marks OpenAI’s largest to date and signals a major strategic shift toward AI-powered consumer hardware.

iPhone design guru and OpenAI chief

Everything over the last 30 years, according to Sir Jony Ive, has led to this moment: a partnership between the iPhone designer and the developer of ChatGPT. Ive has sold his hardware startup, io, to OpenAI and will take on creative and design leadership across the merged businesses.

OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive's Startup io

What if the next iPhone isn’t a phone at all? OpenAI is betting $6.5 billion that legendary iPhone and iPod designer Jony Ive can help it build the next iconic consumer device. The company announced Wednesday that it has acquired io, the design startup founded by the former Apple design chief, to develop a new category of AI hardware.

OpenAI forges deal with Jony Ive

OpenAI, maker of leading artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, is about to get physical. The company announced that it is buying a device startup called io, launched by former Apple designer Jony Ive, in a deal worth just under $6.5 billion. It's OpenAI's biggest acquisition to date.

Jony Ive hire is a big bet

Apple vet Jony Ive moves to OpenAI as ChatGPT maker bets big on hardware. OpenAI is acquiring io, a hardware startup co-founded by Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion.

AI Hardware Visionaries

OpenAI's Altman, former Apple Inc veteran Jony Ive team up to build new-age AI hardware. If things go as planned, OpenAI's io is expected to bring its first AI hardware in 2026.

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Sources

OpenAI Jony Ive AI hardware ChatGPT Apple design acquisition IoT AI devices generative AI