OpenAI just made a $6.5 billion move—and no, it’s not another chatbot.
They hired Jony Ive, the guy who designed the iPhone. Yeah, that Jony Ive. The minimalist wizard who made aluminum sexy and silence louder than sound. Now he’s teamed up with Sam Altman, the OpenAI CEO, on a mission to make AI unavoidable.
Let’s break it down.
The Deal
OpenAI acquired a startup called io, founded by Jony Ive and staffed with over 50 hardware veterans—many from Apple’s inner circle. According to New York Post, the acquisition was sealed at a staggering $6.5 billion. The goal? Build a new category of AI-native devices. Not phones. Not tablets. Something different.
Think: screenless, pocket-sized, always-on AI. That’s the play.
What They’re Building
According to The Verge, the device won’t have a screen at all. It’s not here to replace your phone. It’s here to sneak past it. Sam Altman wants AI to be more than an app—it should live with you. That’s why the device will be contextually aware. It learns your routines, senses your surroundings, and responds without you having to tap anything.
Creepy? Maybe. Powerful? Absolutely.
This isn’t a “futuristic idea” either. The prototype is already on the table. And the first public product is expected to launch late 2026, according to Apple Insider.
The Team Behind It
This isn’t a side project. The io team includes Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, two high-ranking ex-Apple executives. They’re now part of OpenAI’s new hardware division, led by Peter Welinder (OpenAI’s VP of Product). Jony Ive’s personal design firm, LoveFrom, will stay independent but will handle design for all OpenAI hardware and software, as confirmed by AP News.
So yeah—it’s not a startup anymore. It’s a war room.
Why It Matters
Let’s not play dumb. OpenAI is going toe-to-toe with Apple, Google, and Meta now. They’re not just making software. This move shoves them straight into the consumer hardware game. And they’re not doing it quietly.
This is where it gets juicy: Altman and Ive aren’t just thinking about better gadgets. They’re betting on new habits. A new way to live with tech—where AI doesn’t ask for your attention, it just acts. That’s a big shift.
And trust me, I get it. I’ve been in rooms where the only difference between a winner and a burnout was who saw the shift first. When I flipped Turo cars in Cali or automated systems in Malaysia, it wasn’t about tech—it was about leverage. That’s what OpenAI is doing here. They’re not building another device. They’re building the next interface.
What Comes Next
Late 2026 is the official countdown. Expect leaks. Expect early dev kits. Expect the hype train to hit full throttle by next summer.
But don’t get it twisted. This is a power move. OpenAI isn’t waiting for the market to adapt—they’re forcing it to.
If you’re in tech, product, AI, or just someone trying to spot what’s next—pay attention. Because this little screenless thing might just hijack your entire workflow.
And that’s not a bad thing.
