OpenAI is stepping boldly into the hardware frontier with a $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup, iO Products a move that could redefine our relationship with technology. The partnership brings together OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and famed designer Jony Ive, best known for shaping Apple’s iconic iPhone, to build what they envision as the next generation of AI-powered devices.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Altman previewed the ambitious hardware plans to his team on May 21. Central to this vision is the creation of AI companions devices designed to seamlessly integrate into daily life. Altman revealed that the goal is to ship 100 million of these devices, which are not merely digital assistants but potentially transformative replacements for screens and conventional interfaces.
Ive’s role as creative lead signals a design revolution focused on minimalism, intuitiveness, and functionality for the AI era. The project is said to be inspired by the idea of moving away from the screen-centric world, emphasizing voice, context-awareness, and ambient intelligence.
Altman described the initiative as “the biggest thing we’ve ever done as a company,” underlining its strategic importance for OpenAI’s future. If successful, the venture could add as much as $1 trillion in value to the company, making it one of the most ambitious tech bets in recent years.
The nature of the device remains a mystery, but speculation ranges from wearable AI to intelligent home hubs or even entirely new form factors. What’s clear is that the duo aims to create an entirely new category of product one that’s deeply personal, highly intelligent, and design-forward.
As AI continues to permeate daily life, this partnership could mark a turning point, not just for OpenAI, but for consumer technology as a whole. With Ive’s design prowess and Altman’s AI vision, the world may be on the verge of a new interface paradigm where screens become optional and AI companions become essential.
