As reported: OpenAI has acquired Jony Ive’s design firm io for $6.5 billion, with plans to develop new AI hardware devices. According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and other sources, CEO Sam Altman and former Apple designer Ive are collaborating on what they describe as a “family of devices” that will represent a new approach to AI interaction.
During a staff meeting, Altman characterized the project as potentially “the biggest thing we’ve ever done as a company,” suggesting it could add $1 trillion in value to OpenAI. The first device is planned for release in late 2026, with ambitious goals to ship 100 million units faster than any company has previously achieved for a new product category.
Device specifications
While details remain limited, several key points have emerged:
- The device won’t be a smartphone or glasses
- It will be “unobtrusive” and can rest in a pocket or on a desk
- It will be aware of a user’s surroundings and life
- According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it may be slightly larger than Humane’s AI Pin with a form factor “as compact and elegant as an iPod Shuffle”
- The device might not have a display, instead featuring cameras and microphones for environmental detection
Altman and Ive emphasized that existing devices like laptops and smartphones aren’t optimal for AI interaction, describing current methods as inefficient compared to the “sci-fi dream” of what AI could enable. Ive, who expressed remorse about smartphone addiction, suggested the new device could help wean users off screens.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, The Verge, Spyglass