OpenAI has acquired io, the consumer device startup co-founded by CEO Sam Altman and legendary Apple designer Jony Ive, in an all-equity deal that values the company at $6.5 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. The agreement marks OpenAI’s largest acquisition to date and brings io’s full team of 55 engineers, designers, and product specialists — many of them Apple alumni — under its umbrella.
As part of the deal, Ive and his firm LoveFrom will lead creative and design efforts at OpenAI, including a new family of AI-powered consumer devices. Altman said he was “thrilled to be partnering with Jony,” calling him “the greatest designer in the world.”
The move strengthens OpenAI’s push into consumer hardware, positioning it to compete directly with Apple. Ive will also influence ChatGPT product development. Altman described the goal as building devices that move “beyond screens,” with the first product expected to launch in 2026.
Featured image: Credit: OpenAI
