Jony Ive, former Apple design chief, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have introduced the formation of a brand new firm, io, centered on constructing {hardware} merchandise round synthetic intelligence.
Sam & Jony introduce io pic.twitter.com/ej5K59kJq3
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) Might 21, 2025
The announcement marks the following part of a two-year collaboration between Ive’s design agency LoveFrom and OpenAI, which started as a non-public exploration and has now culminated in a proper merger.
OpenAI will purchase Ive’s startup in an almost $6.5 billion all-stock deal, reported Bloomberg. The acquisition, OpenAI’s largest up to now, provides the corporate a devoted unit centered on growing AI-powered units.
The io workforce, led by Ive alongside Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey and Tang Tan, contains engineers, technologists, physicists and product improvement specialists, lots of whom have labored collectively for many years.
Jony Ive left Apple in 2019 after serving as its longtime chief design officer to launch his personal design agency, LoveFrom. The corporate was fashioned a 12 months in the past to develop new forms of computing merchandise that transfer past conventional interfaces.
“Computer systems are actually seeing, pondering and understanding,” Altman and Ive mentioned in a joint assertion. “Regardless of this unprecedented functionality, our expertise stays formed by conventional merchandise and interfaces.”
With io now merging into OpenAI, the mixed groups intention to develop built-in AI {hardware} and software program techniques. Jony Ive and LoveFrom will assume artistic and design management roles throughout each io and OpenAI.
“AI is an unimaginable expertise, however nice instruments require work on the intersection of expertise, design, and understanding individuals and the world,” mentioned Altman. “Nobody can do that like Jony and his workforce; the quantity of care they put into each facet of the method is extraordinary.”
The collaboration stems from shared values and long-standing relationships. Ive mentioned the work reminded him of early years in Silicon Valley.
“I’m reminded of a time, three a long time in the past, after I emigrated to America,” he mentioned. “As a designer, I used to be drawn to the exhilarating and harmless optimism of Silicon Valley, to collaborate with individuals pushed to create wonderful merchandise that elevate humanity.”
Throughout his tenure at Apple, Ive performed a key position in shaping a number of the firm’s most recognisable merchandise, together with the iPhone, iPod, iPad and MacBook Air. He additionally contributed to the design of Apple Park, the corporate’s headquarters in Cupertino, which opened in 2019 after years of planning that started in 2004.
Reflecting on the journey to this point, Ive added, “I’ve a rising sense that every little thing I’ve discovered over the past 30 years has led me to this second. Whereas I’m each anxious and excited in regards to the duty of the substantial work forward, I’m so grateful for the chance to be a part of such an necessary collaboration.”
OpenAI and io haven’t disclosed particular product plans, however mentioned their work is centred on constructing instruments that help studying, creativity and exploration.
The put up Sam Altman and Jony Ive Launch io to Construct Units for AI Period appeared first on Analytics India Journal.
