OpenAI is reportedly acquiring io Products, the AI hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, for a sum exceeding $500 million. The acquisition aims to integrate AI expertise into consumer devices, potentially rivalling smartphone manufacturers with disruptive, AI-driven technology. Io Products has been developing AI-powered consumer devices, including a screenless phone concept and smart home gadgets. The deal could see OpenAI release its first hardware products, leveraging its AI advancements and LoveFrom's design prowess.
The acquisition may lead OpenAI to compete directly with Apple, despite their existing partnership where ChatGPT powers certain Siri queries. The move aligns with OpenAI's broader strategy to expand beyond software into AI chips, robotics, and consumer interfaces. The io Products team, including former Apple designers, would join OpenAI, with LoveFrom contributing industrial design. The collaboration began in 2022 and has already secured funding from investors, including Laurene Powell Jobs.
