OpenAI and Jony Ive are moving forward with their hardware ambitions under the new brand io, and they are turning to Apple’s supply chain to make it happen. The project is drawing from the same manufacturers that Apple relies on for its iPhones, AirPods, and other products.
What OpenAI Plans to Build
According to The Information, io has already signed a contract with Luxshare, one of Apple’s major assembly partners in China. OpenAI has also approached Goertek, which assembles AirPods, HomePods, and Apple Watches, to supply components such as speaker modules.
The report states that one of the devices OpenAI has discussed with suppliers resembles a smart speaker without a display. Other possibilities under consideration include glasses, a digital voice recorder, and a wearable pin. The company is targeting late 2026 or early 2027 for its first release.
Apple Employees Join OpenAI
Since the announcement of io, OpenAI and Jony Ive have managed to hire more than two dozen former Apple employees who worked on consumer hardware. That figure is up from around 10 last year.
The Information notes that these recruits include hardware engineers and designers specializing in user interfaces, cameras, wearables, and audio technology. Among them are Cyrus Daniel Irani, a 15-year Apple veteran who led human interface design; Matt Theobald, who spent 17 years in manufacturing design; and Erik de Jong, who worked on the Apple Watch hardware team.
Why Talent Is Leaving Apple?
Part of the appeal lies in compensation. The Information reports that OpenAI is offering generous stock grants that can exceed $1 million. Recruits are also drawn by the chance to reunite with Jony Ive, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan, who helped shape Apple’s design identity for decades.
The same report highlights growing frustration among Apple staff. Employees cite incremental product updates, increasing bureaucracy, and weaker stock performance as reasons for looking elsewhere. Some have independently contacted OpenAI to explore opportunities.
For OpenAI
The Information further notes that Apple executives are taking the talent drain seriously. Last month, the company abruptly canceled an offsite meeting in China for its supply chain teams, fearing that more employees might defect to OpenAI.
By securing top-tier suppliers and attracting veteran Apple engineers, OpenAI is positioning io to launch mass-market hardware. The move signals that the company intends to compete seriously in consumer devices, not just experiment with prototypes.
With a planned launch window of 2026 to 2027, OpenAI’s hardware efforts remain in development. But the combination of experienced design talent, high-value incentives, and established manufacturing partners places io in a strong position before its first product even arrives.
