Jony Ive is the name on everyone’s lips, but who exactly is this man? You probably recognize him if we mention the iPhone, right? Well, Jony Ive is the designer of that very device. And if you’re wondering why he’s in the news again when the iPhone has already been around for quite a few years, it’s because the legendary designer has teamed up with Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT.
Why? Because a new generation of devices is on its way. More artificial intelligence (AI), more technology… a deal valued at 6.5 billion dollars that includes the acquisition of the startup Ive founded after leaving Apple. The future is getting interesting, isn’t it?
What are they aiming for?
The goal of this partnership is to design from scratch a new family of AI-powered computers. And if anyone can make it happen, it’s them. The alliance combines the aesthetic vision of the man who revolutionized electronic device design with the mind behind one of the most disruptive technologies of the last decade.
Apple’s visual brain: Jony Ive
For 27 years, Ive was responsible for Apple’s most iconic designs: the iMac, the iPod, the iPad, and of course, the iPhone. Steve Jobs described him as his “spiritual partner” at the company, and his influence was so strong that when he left in 2019, Apple’s stock dropped more than 2%.
Ive is a design craftsman. The son of a silversmith, he learned from a young age to value detail and functional aesthetics. His vision has always been clear: to create beautiful, simple, and deeply considered products. Now that philosophy is being brought to the world of artificial intelligence.
“I was always aware of the beauty of handmade products”, Ive said in an interview.
What are they planning to build with OpenAI?
After working at Apple for 27 years and leaving in 2019, Apple’s shares dropped 2% when it was revealed that Ive would begin working with OpenAI.
Although they haven’t revealed exactly what product they are developing, everything points to a new type of device that won’t rely on Google, Apple, or Microsoft.
Sam Altman has already hinted that OpenAI wants to reach end users directly, without intermediaries. And for that, it needs its own hardware. Ive, for his part, wants to apply his obsession with perfect design to a still-uncharted area: devices built from AI.
What are the experts saying about this alliance?
Ben Wood, analyst at CCS Insight, summed it up like this: “It would be foolish to bet against Jony Ive, given his track record.” And he’s right. Few figures carry the symbolic weight of having changed how we use technology daily. Now, alongside Altman, he faces the challenge of making hardware exciting again for the most demanding users.
Justin McGuirk, from the Design Museum in the UK, says that if OpenAI wants to launch physical products based on AI, “they’ll have to be incredibly good”. Because today, many users still don’t see the need for new AI-integrated devices. And that’s exactly where Ive comes in, with the mission to make them desirable.
A new competitor
This new path poses a direct threat to companies like Apple, Google, or Samsung, who dominate consumer access through their devices. If OpenAI manages to create its own system with a groundbreaking design and a seamless AI experience, the impact could be for those companies!
That’s why this partnership isn’t just symbolic. It’s strategic. It marks a turning point in how artificial intelligence can be integrated into our daily lives, not just through the cloud or an app, but from the physical device in our hands.
Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and this union between Jony Ive and Sam Altman has everything a tech revolution needs: design, innovation, ambition, and money. Is the world ready to experience what these two might create? We’re already on the edge of our seats!