Are OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman and the renowned iPhone designer Jony Ive getting married? Not in the literal sense—but their newest partnership is essentially the closest thing in the tech industry.
In a blog post that resembles a sincere announcement rather than a business update, OpenAI disclosed its formal collaboration with Ive to create AI-enabled hardware. This move signifies an important step for the AI firm as it broadens its goals beyond just software.
On Wednesday, OpenAI announced the acquisition of Ive’s design-centric startup, io, in a deal estimated to be nearly $6.5 billion, as reported by Bloomberg. This would mark the largest acquisition in OpenAI’s timeline. Although the official statement lacked detailed specifics, it overflowed with appreciation, as both Altman and Ive conveyed profound mutual regard and a united vision. The blog post, co-signed “Sam & Jony,” illustrates a creative alliance founded on camaraderie and a desire to motivate.
“Two years ago, Jony Ive and the creative group LoveFrom quietly commenced their collaboration with Sam Altman and the OpenAI team,” the post states. “A partnership based on friendship, curiosity, and shared principles quickly escalated in scope… The io team, committed to developing products that inspire, empower, and enable, will now integrate with OpenAI to collaborate more closely with the research, engineering, and product teams in San Francisco.”
A video shared on OpenAI’s X (formerly Twitter) account provided additional concrete information. In this video, Altman clarifies that the aim of the partnership is to produce a new range of AI-powered devices aimed at helping individuals “create all kinds of amazing things.” He even hinted at a prototype from the io team, labeling it “the coolest piece of technology the world has ever seen.”
Speculation regarding a collaboration between Altman and Ive has been swirling since 2023, with guesses that the pair was developing a next-gen AI device—something that could transcend the limitations of current smartphones and computers. “The devices that we’re using to deliver and connect us to unimaginable technology, they’re decades old,” Ive remarked in the video. “So it’s just common sense to at least consider that there must be something beyond these legacy products.”
Ive is, of course, renowned for his groundbreaking work at Apple, where he oversaw the design of the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. The late Steve Jobs once described him as his “spiritual partner.”
OpenAI’s venture into hardware—especially alongside a design innovator like Ive—indicates that the company is not merely resting on its achievements. The announcement follows closely behind Google’s unveiling of a range of new AI products, including XR hardware, hinting that Google has caught up with OpenAI in the AI competition. However, with this new hardware initiative, OpenAI may have just surged ahead once more.
The company intends to start sharing further details about its initiatives with Ive and io in 2026.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of Mashable, initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, claiming copyright violation in the training and functioning of its AI systems.