OpenAI Teams Up with Jony Ive to Launch AI-Native Hardware in 2027
OpenAI is stepping firmly into the hardware arena. The company plans to release its first AI-native consumer device between 2026 and 2027: a screenless smart speaker designed by former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and manufactured by Luxshare Precision, a longtime Apple partner.
Beyond the smart speaker, OpenAI is exploring other AI-powered hardware, including smart glasses, wearable pins, and digital voice recorders.
A Hardware Push Backed by Io Products Acquisition
In May 2025, OpenAI acquired Io Products, the design firm co-founded by Ive and former Apple design chief Tang Tan, for $6.5 billion with support from SoftBank. Tan now serves as Chief Hardware Officer at OpenAI, reporting directly to CEO Sam Altman.
Upcoming devices will be launched under the io brand, emphasizing a design-first, AI-native philosophy.
An Apple Alumni Team & Supply Chain
OpenAI has built a hardware team of about 20 former Apple employees, including:
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Matt Theobald – manufacturing design expert
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Cyrus Daniel Irani – former Siri interface designer
To build its devices, OpenAI is tapping into Apple’s supply chain, working with Luxshare and Goertek, suppliers behind AirPods, HomePods, and Apple Watches.
Why It Matters
This shift represents OpenAI’s evolution from a research lab to a consumer electronics company. By combining Ive’s design expertise with advanced AI, OpenAI aims to integrate AI seamlessly into daily life through hardware.
But it could also create friction with Apple. Since 2024, Apple has integrated OpenAI’s models into Siri and iOS. Now, with OpenAI competing directly in hardware—using ex-Apple executives and suppliers—the rivalry between the two giants may intensify.
Would you consider buying an AI smart speaker without a screen, designed by Jony Ive and powered by OpenAI? Share your thoughts in the Heyup Community.
