Overview

• OpenAI has finalized an all-equity $6.4 billion acquisition of io, a hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive.
• Jony Ive and his LoveFrom design collective will oversee creative and design responsibilities across OpenAI and io but remain independent entities.
• Io's team of 55 engineers and designers will integrate with OpenAI’s research and product divisions in San Francisco, enhancing its hardware capabilities.
• The acquisition is OpenAI’s largest to date and follows recent purchases of Windsurf and Rockset as part of its strategic expansion into hardware.
• The first AI-powered devices from the OpenAI–io collaboration are expected to debut in 2026, though specific product details remain undisclosed.