OpenAI has revealed plans to acquire io, the AI hardware startup co-founded by renowned former Apple designer Jony Ive, in an all-stock deal estimated at $6.5 billion. The move signals OpenAI’s significant push into the hardware arena.
The acquisition brings Jony Ive — the creative force behind iconic Apple products like the iPhone, iMac, and iPad — and a team of ex-Apple designers into the OpenAI fold. They will lead the development of a new generation of AI-first devices within a newly formed hardware division at OpenAI.
In a joint statement released Wednesday (May 21), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Ive expressed a shared ambition to create a line of AI-integrated consumer products.
While Ive will not join OpenAI as a direct employee, his design firm, LoveFrom, will continue operating independently and take on key design and creative roles across both OpenAI and io. This acquisition positions OpenAI to enter the consumer hardware market with custom devices built specifically for AI, marking a strategic pivot that could transform how people interact with artificial intelligence.
Founded in 2015, OpenAI gained worldwide recognition after the 2022 release of ChatGPT. Microsoft remains its largest backer.
With both OpenAI and LoveFrom based in San Francisco, the Bay Area continues to emerge as a central hub for AI innovation.
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