Famous Apple designer Sir Jony Ive joins OpenAI
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Sir Jony Ive joins OpenAI to design a new generation of AI-powered devices.
Famed British designer Sir Jony Ive, best known for designing the iconic Apple iPhone, is officially joining OpenAI in a bold move to develop new AI-focused hardware. The collaboration marks a significant shift for the artificial intelligence company as it ventures into the world of consumer technology products.
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, announced that it will acquire a startup founded by Sir Jony, who will take on “deep design and creative responsibilities” within the organization. The announcement came alongside a video featuring OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who emphasized their shared goal of developing a “family of devices” built with AI at the core.
“We believe we have an opportunity to completely reimagine what it means to use a computer,” said Altman. The statement signals OpenAI’s ambition to break away from traditional device design and usher in a new era of AI-integrated experiences.
The tech industry has been in search of its next groundbreaking innovation following the massive success of the smartphone, particularly the iPhone. Many analysts see OpenAI’s latest move as a direct challenge to Apple, which critics say has been slower to integrate cutting-edge AI into its products. Following the news of the deal, Apple’s shares dropped by over 2%, reflecting investor concern over rising competition.
Sir Jony Ive spent more than three decades at Apple, where his designs helped define the company’s modern identity. His creative leadership was instrumental in the development of breakthrough products such as the iPhone, iPod, and MacBook. He left Apple in 2019 to launch his own design firm, LoveFrom, which has worked with global brands including Airbnb and Moncler.
In 2023, Sir Jony founded the startup io, which has now been acquired by OpenAI. The origins of io stem from a quiet, multi-year collaboration between Sir Jony and OpenAI, according to their joint announcement. “It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company,” the statement said.
Prior to this week’s announcement, OpenAI reportedly held a 23% stake in io. The latest deal values the startup at approximately $6.4 billion (£4.7 billion), according to U.S. media outlets. LoveFrom, Sir Jony’s original design firm, will remain independent despite the merger.
In the announcement video, Sir Jony expressed his excitement about the potential of the partnership, stating that the world is “on the brink of a new generation of technology.” He added that the intersection of design and artificial intelligence has never been more relevant, hinting at future innovations that could radically transform the way people interact with machines.
OpenAI has been a major force in the AI boom since its launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. Since then, the company has expanded its reach into areas such as online search, shopping, and productivity tools, often challenging the dominance of established tech players like Google and Microsoft.
The company’s push into hardware mirrors broader trends across Silicon Valley, where companies such as Meta, Apple, and Google have been investing in smart devices, including mixed reality headsets and smart glasses. With advances in AI accelerating rapidly, tech giants are eager to capture the next wave of consumer interaction through integrated and immersive experiences.
As OpenAI prepares to bring its first hardware products to market, the addition of Sir Jony Ive could prove to be a game-changing move. With his legacy of iconic product design and OpenAI’s technological firepower, the collaboration could set a new standard for the future of AI-powered devices.
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