OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Design Firm to Launch AI Hardware Devices
- tech360.tv
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
OpenAI has acquired Jony Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom, in a USD 6.5 billion deal aimed at creating a new generation of AI-specific hardware devices.
The merger, announced in a joint statement by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and designer Jony Ive, includes the integration of LoveFrom’s team of more than 50 employees.
Altman and Ive revealed in a video that they have been collaborating quietly for over a year, working on a beta device that Altman described as “the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.”
Altman said current tools like laptops are too cumbersome for seamless AI interaction, highlighting the need for purpose-built AI devices.
Ive, known for designing the iPhone and MacBook Pro, said his career has led to this moment and expressed excitement about the collaboration.
Experts say the merger could reshape how people interact with AI by combining OpenAI’s software with Ive’s hardware design expertise.
Conor Grennan, chief AI architect at NYU Stern School of Business, said the partnership could make AI feel “natural and effortless,” potentially driving large-scale behavioural change.
Daniel Newman, CEO of The Futurum Group, called the move bold and risky, noting that disrupting the entrenched hardware ecosystems of iOS and Android will be difficult.
Ahmed Banafa, Ph.D., a professor at San Jose State University, said the merger represents a vertical integration strategy that allows OpenAI to control both software and hardware, unlocking new capabilities.
Rob Howard, an AI consultant, expressed scepticism about consumer adoption, citing the challenge of convincing users to buy another expensive device when AI apps are already available on smartphones.
Howard also warned that the competition between OpenAI and Apple could lead to more closed ecosystems, limiting interoperability for users.
Despite the challenges, Grennan believes the collaboration has potential, especially if the device is useful, easy to use and becomes a status symbol.
Banafa added that the move positions OpenAI as a direct competitor in the consumer electronics space, putting it on a collision course with Apple, Google and Meta.
OpenAI acquired Jony Ive’s design firm LoveFrom for USD 6.5 billion
The merger aims to create AI-specific hardware devices
Experts say the move could reshape AI interaction and consumer tech
Source: FORBES