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OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s IO to Develop Screenless AI Wearable

Laurene Powell Jobs’s backing underscores the effort’s aim to create technology that prioritizes human well-being over screen-based distractions.

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Overview

  • OpenAI agreed to purchase Jony Ive’s hardware startup IO for about $6.5 billion in May, folding his design team into its development arm.
  • The device under development is expected to be a screenless, wearable AI companion launching in late 2026 as a ‘third core device’ alongside phones and laptops.
  • Ive and CEO Sam Altman describe the project as driven by a belief that “humanity deserves better,” seeking to address unintended harms linked to current technology use.
  • Laurene Powell Jobs has provided critical investment through Emerson Collective and support for Ive’s LoveFrom firm while maintaining her relationship with Apple’s leadership.
  • The collaboration signals OpenAI’s strategic expansion into custom hardware and reflects Ive’s renewed optimism about technology serving human needs.