Tech’s legendary design guru Jony Ive is making waves again, this time in the artificial intelligence landscape. OpenAI has acquired io Products, Ive’s design company, in a groundbreaking $6.5 billion deal that promises to reshape how we interact with AI technology.

Ive, famous for his iconic work at Apple where he designed the iPhone and collaborated closely with Steve Jobs, is now setting his sights on creating physical manifestations of generative AI. While specifics remain under wraps, industry analysts suggest we might see innovative hardware like AI-powered glasses, robotic devices, or entirely new forms of interactive technology.

The collaboration between OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman and Ive has been quietly brewing since 2023. Their shared vision is to develop a “new family of products” that extend AI beyond traditional screen interfaces. By founding io Products and partnering with OpenAI, Ive is positioning himself at the forefront of a technological revolution potentially as transformative as the smartphone era.

Interestingly, OpenAI already owns a 23% stake in io and will pay $5 billion in equity for the full acquisition. Ive won’t become an OpenAI employee, but his design firm LoveFrom will maintain deep creative responsibilities across both organizations.

Peter Welinder, a longtime OpenAI executive, will lead the new io division, bringing extensive experience in robotics and early-stage research. The partnership symbolizes a significant moment in tech, potentially bridging the gap between cutting-edge artificial intelligence and user-centric design.

Located in San Francisco, just miles apart, both OpenAI and LoveFrom are positioned in a city that continues to be a global epicenter of technological innovation. Ive’s choice to base his company near historic Beat Generation haunts adds a poetic touch to this technological endeavor.

As AI continues to evolve rapidly, this collaboration signals an exciting future where technology becomes more intuitive, accessible, and seamlessly integrated into our daily lives.