OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Design Firm in $6.5 Billion Deal for AI Hardware
OpenAI has recruited Jony Ive, the legendary designer behind Apple’s iPhone, to lead a new hardware project for the artificial intelligence company that powers ChatGPT. The deal, valued at nearly $6.5 billion, involves OpenAI acquiring io, a product and engineering company co-founded by Ive.
Ive, known for his work on iconic Apple products like the iPhone, iMac, and iPad, worked at Apple for over two decades before leaving in 2019 to start his own design firm, LoveFrom. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had been collaborating with Ive since 2023 on the new project. In a joint statement, Ive and Altman explained that their ambition to develop a new family of products required creating an entirely new company, leading to the formation of io with other industry experts.
Ive will not become an OpenAI employee, but his design collective, LoveFrom, will take on significant design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI and io. Peter Welinder, a longtime OpenAI executive, will lead the new io division, bringing his experience in robotics research and hardware development.
This partnership marks a significant step in OpenAI’s expansion into hardware development for AI applications. With Ive’s design expertise and OpenAI’s AI capabilities, the collaboration aims to create innovative products that integrate AI technology with sophisticated design.
