OpenAI just announced its acquisition of io, the AI device startup co-founded by legendary Apple designer Jony Ive, in a $6.5B all-stock deal to create a new generation of AI-powered devices.
OpenAI and Ive’s io have been quietly working for two years on devices intended to move "beyond screens," with the first products expected in 2026.
Altman also said he has been testing a prototype of io’s device, saying he believes it is the “coolest piece of technology the world will have ever seen”.
This duo has been making moves beneath the surface for several years, but this is a loud official announcement of OpenAI’s hardware ambitions.