OpenAI acquires Jony Ive's startup for whopping $6.5 billion all-stock deal

Jony Ive, the designer behind the iPhone, MacBook, and Apple Watch, is officially joining the leading AI company. OpenAI has announced that it has acquired John Ive’s startup, LoveFrom spin-off io, in a whopping $6.5 billion all-stock deal.

Jony Ive joins OpenAI to shape future AI hardware

The acquisition follows a year of growing ties. In 2024, Ive launched io to explore hardware ideas for the AI era, and later that year, OpenAI invested in the company, eventually owning a 23% stake.

Now, the entire team—about 55 people, including engineers, scientists, physicists, and product leads—is coming under OpenAI.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the group will focus on designing new AI-native hardware. Some of that work is expected to go public in 2026. In the meantime, they’ll take on major design roles across both OpenAI and io internally.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a statement:

AI is an incredible technology, but great tools require work at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding people and the world. No one can do this like Jony and his team; the amount of care they put into every aspect of the process is extraordinary.

Jony Ive added:

I have a growing sense that everything I have learned over the last 30 years has led me to this moment. While I am both anxious and excited about the responsibility of the substantial work ahead, I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an important collaboration. The values and vision of Sam and the teams at OpenAI and io are a rare inspiration.

Check out the full conversation below: