OpenAI and Jony Ive raid Apple's bench for AI hardware push

When Jony Ive left Apple, everyone wondered where his industrial design obsession would land next. A few months ago, we learned he teamed up with Sam Altman and OpenAI to create an AI hardware brand called io. Now, the project is moving past the sketch phase and straight onto Apple's home turf.

According to a report from The Information, OpenAI and Ive have already poached over two dozen consumer hardware veterans from Apple, while locking down key manufacturers that currently produce the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

Raiding Apple's supply chain

Building hardware from scratch is famously brutal, so OpenAI is skipping the amateur hour and tapping Apple's trusted manufacturing partners.

Luxshare, the Chinese manufacturing giant that handles assembly for iPhones and AirPods, has reportedly signed a deal to assemble at least one of OpenAI's upcoming devices. OpenAI has also been in talks with Goertek, a regular supplier for AirPods and HomePod, to supply components like speaker modules.

As for what they are actually building, sources say one device in active discussions resembles a screenless smart speaker. The team has also explored concepts like smart glasses, a digital voice recorder, and a wearable pin, targeting a release window between late 2026 and early 2027.

The design dream team gets back together

OpenAI isn't just borrowing Apple's suppliers; it is practically hiring Apple's alumni network.

More than two dozen hardware engineers and designers have made the jump to io recently, compared to about ten last year. The hires span user interface, wearable tech, audio engineering, and camera development.

Part of the appeal is working with familiar leadership. Alongside Ive, the project features former Apple VP of industrial design Evans Hankey and Tang Tan, who spent over 25 years heading product design at Cupertino.

Recent high-profile recruits include Cyrus Daniel Irani, a 15-year veteran of Apple's human interface design team; Matt Theobald, who spent nearly 17 years in manufacturing design; and Erik de Jong, a former hardware lead on the Apple Watch team. Sources note that beyond large pay packages and less red tape, engineers were genuinely excited to work on fresh form factors instead of Apple's predictable yearly updates.

Why it matters

AI hardware has had a rough run so far. Gadgets like the Humane Ai Pin and Rabbit r1 proved that slapdash hardware powered by an API wrapper usually crashes and burns. Consumers are rightly skeptical of any standalone AI device that could just be an app.

OpenAI and Jony Ive are taking the opposite approach. By securing Luxshare and Goertek, they get immediate access to tier-one manufacturing pipelines and precision quality control. They are treating hardware like Apple does, not like a scrappy Kickstarter project.

For Apple, this hurts. Cupertino is already dealing with AI brain drain to Meta and others. Seeing its own design legends recruit top engineering talent to build rival hardware is a serious warning sign.

Still, late 2026 is an eternity in AI time. By then, onboard assistants in iPhones and Androids will be dramatically smarter. A screenless speaker or a lapel pin will need to deliver an interaction model so radically superior that users feel compelled to carry a whole new gadget.