Apple Design Legend Jony Ive Joins OpenAI in $6.4 Billion Deal
OpenAI has acquired Jony Ive’s AI hardware startup io in a landmark $6.4 billion all-equity deal, marking a significant convergence of design and artificial intelligence. The acquisition integrates io’s hardware expertise with OpenAI’s research and engineering teams, signaling a strategic push into AI-driven consumer devices.
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, praised an io prototype as "the coolest piece of technology the world has ever seen," hinting at disruptive potential. Apple shares dipped nearly 2% on the news, reflecting market uncertainty about the competitive implications for the tech giant.
The MOVE underscores Silicon Valley’s accelerating bets on post-smartphone interfaces, with Ive’s design legacy now poised to shape OpenAI’s physical product ambitions.
