OpenAI forms a new hardware division with the io team, led by Jony Ive, to develop AI-native devices, possibly launching a voice-first product as early as 2026.

The purchase — the largest in OpenAI’s history — will provide the company with a dedicated unit for developing AI-powered devices.

Jony Ive, Apple’s former head of design, will take over design at OpenAI after the Sam Altman-led company acquired Ive’s hardware startup in a deal valued at $6.5 billion, with the new pairing expected to unveil a product within the next year as a potential competitor to Ive’s former employer.