OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive's 'io' to Build Next-Gen AI Devices [Video]

Jony Ive, Apple's former design chief, is set to bring his design expertise to OpenAI, with his AI hardware company, io, being acquired by the AI research and deployment company. The move, announced May 21, 2025, will see Ive and his design firm, LoveFrom, take on "deep design and creative responsibilities" to shape the "future look and feel of AI" through a new family of devices.

OpenAI is acquiring Ive's company, io, in an all-equity transaction valuing io at $6.5 billion. This follows a two-year quiet collaboration between Ive, LoveFrom, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, focused on moving consumers "beyond screens," according to The Wall Street Journal. While specific products are unconfirmed, options considered include headphones and other camera-equipped devices.




"Two years ago, Jony Ive and the creative collective LoveFrom, quietly began collaborating with Sam Altman and the team at OpenAI," their joint statement explained. "It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company. And so, one year ago, Jony founded io with Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey and Tang Tan."

Io's team of roughly 55 engineers, scientists, and product development specialists will merge with OpenAI. LoveFrom will remain independent, with OpenAI as a client, and will also receive a stake in OpenAI. The transaction is expected to close this summer, pending regulatory approval.

"I have a growing sense that everything I have learned over the last 30 years has led me to this moment," Ive stated. "The values and vision of Sam and the teams at OpenAI and io are a rare inspiration."

Altman commented on the synergy, "AI is an incredible technology, but great tools require work at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding people and the world. No one can do this like Jony and his team." He added, "I think we have the opportunity here to completely reimagine what it means to use a computer."


As io merges with OpenAI, Jony and LoveFrom will assume deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI and io.

Take a look at the video below for more details...

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Sam & Jony introduce io pic.twitter.com/ej5K59kJq3

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) May 21, 2025