22-May-2025 :

OpenAI has acquired the design firm of former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive in a massive $6.5 billion deal, marking one of the most high-profile acquisitions in AI this year. Ive will now lead OpenAI’s design efforts across software, hardware, and product experiences.
According to WSJ, the deal includes both cash and stock compensation and sets the stage for OpenAI to focus heavily on design-forward AI applications. Ive’s new role will span user interface, product hardware, and the broader experience ecosystem that OpenAI envisions for AI-native devices.
The acquisition is widely seen as a strategic move by OpenAI to shape not only how AI thinks, but how AI feels and interacts with users. With Ive’s influence, OpenAI is expected to ramp up work on previously rumored hardware projects, including voice-forward agents, AI-first mobile devices, and immersive ambient computing interfaces.
Jony Ive previously worked on iconic Apple products like the iPhone, iMac, and Apple Watch. Since founding his own design firm LoveFrom, he has worked with clients like Airbnb and Ferrari. His transition to OpenAI is seen as a full-circle moment for the design visionary as he now helps architect the next human-AI interface era.
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has called the acquisition a 'generational design moment' for the company, and internal sources suggest Ive will play a pivotal role in shaping consumer-facing agentic systems for mass adoption.