The legendary British designer Sir Jony Ive, who co-created the iPhone from Apple, has announced a new collaboration with OpenAI, where the artificial intelligence-focused company aims to develop its own physical devices.
According to a joint statement between the two companies, OpenAI will acquire a startup founded by Sir Jony, who will take on "deep responsibilities in design and creativity" within the company.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed that the goal is to develop a "family of devices" specially designed to integrate with artificial intelligence technologies.
In a video clip, he said: "I think we have an opportunity to completely reimagine what it means to use a computer."
Apple's shares fell more than 2% following the announcement, indicating the challenge this move represents for a company that has not yet aggressively entered the field of AI.
Sir Jony worked at Apple for over 30 years, contributing to the revival of the company through designing revolutionary products like the iPhone and iPod. He left the company in 2019 to found his own company, LoveFrom, which later collaborated with prominent brands such as Airbnb and Moncler.
His new startup io, founded last year, emerged after several years of secret collaboration with OpenAI, according to the announcement.
The statement said, "It became clear that our ambition to develop, design, and manufacture a new family of products needed an entirely new company."
OpenAI already owned a 23% stake in io company before the official announcement, according to American media reports.
American media estimated the io acquisition deal at about $6.4 billion (approximately £4.7 billion). Meanwhile, LoveFrom company will remain independent.
In the video announcing the merger, Sir Jony said he believes the world "is on the threshold of a new generation of technology."
It is worth mentioning that OpenAI launched a broad wave of investment in artificial intelligence after releasing ChatGPT in 2022, and it continues to expand into new areas such as shopping and research, challenging the technology giants.
OpenAI's entry into the world of physical devices comes at a time when companies like Meta, Google, and Apple are investing in products like augmented reality glasses and smart headsets, based on rapid advancements in artificial intelligence technologies.
