Here are 10 key takeaways from this landmark announcement of Jony Ive joining OpenAI:

The startup, io, was founded by Jony Ive just a year ago, along with Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan.

This came after two years of quiet collaboration between Ive’s creative collective and Sam Altman’s team at .

The shared ambition to develop, engineer, and manufacture a new family of products led to the formation of io.

OpenAI is acquiring io in a deal valued at approximately $6.5 billion. This marks OpenAI’s largest known acquisition to date.

Prior to this, OpenAI already held a .

While Jony Ive will not be a direct employee of OpenAI, his design firm LoveFrom will assume “deep design and creative responsibilities” across both OpenAI and the newly merged io.

This suggests his will be integral to future OpenAI offerings, including software. LoveFrom will remain an independent company.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, and Jony Ive envision creating a “family of devices” specifically designed for AI.

Altman stated, “Such technology ‘deserves something much better’ than today’s laptops.”

The goal is to like keyboards and screens.

This move is widely interpreted as a direct challenge to existing tech hardware, particularly Apple, where Ive was instrumental in designing iconic products like the iMac, iPod, and iPhone.

Some analysts believe AI hardware could upend the gadget world, potentially displacing smartphones and laptops.

Even ,, has acknowledged that AI devices could replace the iPhone within 10 years.

Both Altman and Ive have expressed grand ambitions.

said, “I think we have the opportunity here to kind of completely re-imagine what it means to use a computer. Ive believes the world is on the ‘brink of a new generation of technology’ that can make us our better selves.”

There are indications that the new products will aim for a computing experience that is “less socially disruptive than the iPhone.”

This aligns with Ive’s sentiment that current products delivering technology are “decades old” and there’s a need to explore “something beyond these legacy products.”

The team, which will now merge with OpenAI, comprises top hardware and software engineers, technologists, physicists, scientists, researchers, and experts in product development and manufacturing.

Key Apple design veterans and co-founders of io, ,, and , are joining OpenAI full-time.

While specific product details remain under wraps, Sam Altman mentioned he has seen a prototype of a device, describing it as

The companies plan to announce their work next year.

Following the announcement,

The move comes as tech rivals like Meta, Google, and Apple are also investing heavily in AI-powered hardware such as headsets and glasses.

However, not all AI hardware ventures have succeeded, with products like the Humane AI Pin falling flat.

Ive himself has referred to some of these early attempts as “bad products.”

The decision for Jony Ive to join OpenAI through the acquisition of io is a clear statement of intent.

OpenAI is no longer just a software and research company; it’s now seriously venturing into the hardware domain.

With Jony Ive’s unparalleled design expertise and a team of seasoned professionals, the AI news landscape is set for some exciting developments.

The tech world will be keenly watching for what this powerhouse collaboration unveils next year, as they work to bring “a new generation of AI-powered computers” to life.

Maria Isabel Rodrigues