Openai and Jony Ive team up to create a “new generation of AI-powered computers.”

In late 2023, reports began to circulate that Openai CEO Sam Altman had collaborated with legendary Apple designers Jony Ive and Laurene Powell’s Jobs on the Stealth AI Hardware Project. Now, five months later, we finally got a clear picture of what the brewing is.

Today, Altman confirmed his collaboration with X’s post.

“We are thrilled to partner with Jony, the world’s greatest designer. We were thrilled to create a new generation of computers powered by AI.”

We are excited to partner with Jony, the world’s greatest designer.

I was excited to create a new generation of AI-powered computers. pic.twitter.com/ipzbnrz1jq

– Sam Altman (@sama) May 21, 2025

Openai wants to pocket an AI device designed by Jony Ive

Altman’s posts sparked a lot of talk. After all, this is a heavyweight matchup. Altman is one of the most prominent figures in artificial intelligence, working with the designers behind the iPhone, iPad and MacBook. And the projects they are working on can shake up how we interact with technology.

“I think here we have an opportunity to completely rethink the implications of using a computer,” Openai CEO Sam Altman said in a video of the hype of the announcement.

Although no prototypes have been revealed, Altman shared that the goal of IO is to build a “family of families” that use AI more.

“The first thing we’ve been working on… has just captured our imagination in full,” Eve said. Altman is testing the prototype at home and says, “I can live with it and I think it’s the coolest technology the world has ever seen.”

Sam & Jony introduces io pic.twitter.com/ej5k59kjq3

– Openai (@openai) May 21, 2025

What we know so far

The venture, run under the name IO Products, is reportedly focused on building AI-first personal devices. Altman and Ive are more than just tweaking what already exists. They aim to rethink it from scratch.

The idea began to take shape after Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky introduced the two. They began meetings regularly and began discussing how generative AI could reconstruct user interactions without repeating device mistakes that led to screen addiction. Ive was quoted as saying he wanted something “more socially destructive than the iPhone.”

It’s not another smartphone

The details are still wrapped, but one thing seems clear. This won’t be a different phone call. Sources say the team is experimenting with screenless AI devices. This is a voice-first gadget that feels more like a personal assistant than a pocket computer. Think less iPhone, more.

This tracks Altman’s other investments in screen-free AI interfaces like humanitarian AI pins. It also fits Ive’s signature style. It is a sophisticated minimalist and focuses on reducing friction between users and devices.

Although there are no prototypes that work yet, the early concepts show products that help people get things done without staring at the screen all day.

Why is this important?

In April 2025, the information reported that Openai is investigating a potential acquisition of IO products for $500 million. Whether it’s an acquisition or a deeper partnership, the move shows a push beyond Openai’s software. Between this and work on AI server chips and robotics, Altman’s ambitions include building a full-stack ecosystem (hardware included).

The timing is no coincidence. Meta is working on AI wearables, Apple is reworking Siri, and Google continues to push Gemini models into hardware. Everyone wants scaffolding for anything that comes after a smartphone.

Altman’s already laid the foundations in the 2024 ChatGpt audio mode. Using hardware for the mix, Openai could be a direct competitor of consumer technology rather than a behind-the-scenes infrastructure provider.

It’s still a long way

There is no shortage of skepticism. Early AI hardware such as the Humane Pin and Rabbit R1 were launched in many hype and didn’t have much follow-through. The review cited grumpy features, half-baked executions, and unclear use cases.

A Macrumors post summarised the jab and hesitation in Ive’s minimalist trends. Just kidding the final product could be a “glass slab without screens or buttons.” AppleInsider goes further, suggesting that the entire project could turn out to be smoke and mirrors in the busy AI gadget market.

To succeed, Altman and Ive need more than novelty. They need to create something that actually gains spots in people’s daily lives.

If it works, it could change everything

That being said, if they pull it apart, this could be one of the most important jumps in computing for over a decade. CNET speculated that Openai’s hardware play can tighten grips across the platform, and speculated that AI conversations can be moved from the app to the physical objects they use every day.

With the ability to create IVE’s iconic devices and Altman’s obsession with the possibilities of AI, this partnership can create something that redefines the way you think about personal technology. Some insiders think they are aiming to completely replace their smartphones. It’s a bold goal, but these are bold players.

Softbank’s Masayoshi’s son is reportedly considering investing in $1 billion.

What’s next?

It’s still too early. No devices have been announced. The release date is not mentioned. But what’s going on here is worth paying attention. A new class of AI-Native hardware is coming. Altman and Ive want to lead the charge.

If nothing else, their collaboration shows a shift. The next wave of technology may be defined not by apps, but by how the hardware itself thinks, listens, and responds.