Jony Ive Partners With OpenAI To Redefine AI Hardware

Uploaded on 2025-06-13 in TECHNOLOGY-Key Areas-Artificial Intelligence, NEWS-Cybersecurity News, FREE TO VIEW

Sir Jony Ive, the legendary British designer behind Apple’s iconic iPhone, iMac, iPod, and iPad, has joined forces with OpenAI in a landmark $6.5 billion (£4.7 billion) deal. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, acquired Ive’s startup, io, to pioneer a new generation of AI-powered devices, aiming to revolutionize personal technology once again.

Ive, described by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as the “greatest designer in the world,” will take on a leading role in design and creative direction at OpenAI.

A Vision for the Future of Computing

The partnership, which builds on two years of quiet collaboration between OpenAI and Ive’s firm LoveFrom, seeks to reimagine what computers can be. “I think we have the opportunity here to completely re-imagine what it means to use a computer,” Altman said in a video statement. Ive echoed this sentiment, noting the world is on the “brink of a new generation of technology.”

A New Family of Devices

The collaboration has already produced a prototype that Altman called “the coolest piece of technology the world will have ever seen.” Ive added that the first device they’ve been working on has “completely captured our imagination.” While specifics remain under wraps, posts on X indicate mass production is slated for 2027, with assembly planned outside China, possibly in Vietnam, to mitigate geopolitical risks. This move comes as competitors like Humane AI and Rabbit have struggled with AI hardware, facing issues like poor battery life and limited functionality.

Implications For The Tech Industry

Ive’s departure from Apple in 2019, after 27 years of shaping its design legacy, marked a turning point for the tech giant. Apple’s shares dropped over 2% following the announcement, reflecting market concerns about OpenAI’s potential to challenge the iPhone’s dominance.

OpenAI, which sparked an AI investment wave with ChatGPT in 2022, is now expanding into hardware, a space where tech giants like Meta, Google, and Apple are also innovating with AI-driven headsets and glasses. However, past failures like Humane AI’s troubled AI Pin raise questions about whether Ive and Altman can deliver on their ambitious vision.

Image: Ideogram

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