Jony Ive and OpenAI Team Up to Design the Future of AI Hardware
- Chinmay
- May 22, 2025
- Artificial Intelligence, Business, News
- AI design innovation, AI product design, ChatGPT devices, future of human-AI interaction, io acquisition OpenAI, Jony Ive AI collaboration, LoveFrom OpenAI partnership, OpenAI hardware news, Sam Altman AI hardware
- 0 Comments
In a move that signals a bold leap into physical design, OpenAI has partnered with legendary Apple designer Jony Ive to create a new generation of AI-native hardware.
Best known for the iconic design of the iPhone, iMac, and iPad, Ive is now set to bring his minimalist design philosophy into the AI era. OpenAI has acquired io, a new product and engineering company co-founded by Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion.
The collaboration isn’t new — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly been working with Ive and his team at LoveFrom since 2023 to imagine what AI-powered devices could look like.
“It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company,” said Altman and Ive in a joint statement.
What is io?
Founded by Ive, Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan, io will focus on building breakthrough AI hardware — something that has largely remained untapped as AI has evolved primarily in software form.
This isn’t just about giving ChatGPT a body — it’s about designing native interfaces, smart form factors, and immersive experiences that align with how humans naturally interact.
Who owns what?
- Jony Ive will not become an OpenAI employee.
- His design firm, LoveFrom, will remain independent.
- But it will lead the creative and design direction for both OpenAI and io.
Why this matters
As AI becomes more embedded in daily life, design will play a huge role in making it intuitive, accessible, and even beautiful.
From voice-first tools to always-on AI assistants, the next wave of AI innovation isn’t just about code — it’s about how people live with AI.
And there’s perhaps no better person to shape that future than the one who made tech feel like art: Sir Jony Ive.
