Jony Ive, OpenAi & the $6.5 Billion Vision: When Design Meets Intelligence

The new duo is about to change the landscape of Ai Hardware

In a move that has the tech and design world buzzing, OpenAi has reportedly struck a jaw-dropping $6.5 billion deal to acquire LoveFrom, the design firm co-founded by none other than Jony Ive—the legendary former Chief Design Officer at Apple.

Now, I’ve always had a soft spot for Jony Ive. His influence has shaped how millions experience technology—think iPhone, iPod, iMac, Apple Watch... and now, it looks like he’s ready to reinvent a whole new frontier: Ai-powered hardware.

✦ A Designer Who Doesn’t Hand Out Business Cards

Jony once famously said, "I don’t have business cards, and I don’t sell my services. If you want to work with me, you’ll already have my number saved in your phone." That’s the kind of old-school elegance and exclusivity that’s kept him iconic. So when OpenAi, led by Sam Altman, wanted someone to help shape the next generation of Ai-enabled gadgets, they didn’t just Google designers. They called Jony.

✦ “Ideas, by definition, are always fragile...”

One of my favorite quotes by Ive—one that I revisit often when working on new ideas—is this:

"Ideas, by definition, are always fragile. If they were resolved, they wouldn't be ideas. They would be products that were ready to ship... You have to focus on the actual idea, which is partial, tentative and unproven... Opinions are not ideas. Opinions are just opinions."

It’s a powerful mindset—one that perfectly fits the experimental, fast-evolving world of Ai. And now, he’s bringing that philosophy to OpenAi, where he’ll be working on new Ai-enabled consumer devices that could seriously change the way we interact with intelligent machines.

✦ The Power of LoveFrom

Founded in 2019 with longtime collaborator Marc Newson, LoveFrom was never just a design firm. It was a statement. Operating mostly in secrecy, the company took on only handpicked clients—Airbnb, Ferrari, and now OpenAi. Its name was inspired by Steve Jobs’ expression of “making things with love and care,” and it embodies a design philosophy rooted in humanity, beauty, and depth.

What many people don’t know is that LoveFrom operates more like a collective than a traditional agency. Its team includes architects, designers, writers, and even sound engineers. And now, it’s being woven into the OpenAi fabric.

✦ What This Deal Really Means

This isn’t just about industrial design. It’s about vision. OpenAi has been leading in generative Ai tech—but it lacked a hardware identity. With Jony Ive in the room, that’s about to change. The idea is to bring Ai out of screens and into physical form—something more intuitive, more human. And if anyone can do that, it’s Jony.

This collaboration may very well birth the next generation of Ai devices—something beyond smart speakers or wearable screens. We’re talking about Ai that feels designed, not engineered.

So yes, it’s a $6.5B deal. But more than the money, it’s a statement. The future of Ai isn’t just about intelligence. It’s about experience.

And if history has taught us anything, it’s this: when Jony Ive designs it, the world pays attention.