Sam & Jony's Vision: Unlocking Human Potential
On May 21, 2025, OpenAI announced its acquisition of “io,” an AI hardware company founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, marking a significant push into the AI hardware sector.
OpenAI revealed that it would acquire io—co-founded by Jony Ive, known for designing the iPhone and iPod—for $6.5 billion. Around 55 hardware engineers, software developers, and manufacturing specialists from io will now join OpenAI.
Who is Jony Ive?
Sir Jonathan Paul Ive (b. Feb 27, 1967) is a British-American designer. Formerly Apple’s Chief Design Officer, he is now the founder of the creative collective LoveFrom, collaborating with brands like Ferrari, Airbnb, and OpenAI. Since 2017, he has served as Chancellor of the Royal College of Art in London. After joining Apple in 1992, he played a central role in the design of key products and interfaces, including the Apple Watch, iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. He was also involved in architectural design projects such as Apple Park and Apple Stores.
His Work at MoMA: https://www.moma.org/artists/25843-jonathan-ive
Ive’s Role and Vision for Devices
While Ive himself will not join OpenAI directly, LoveFrom will take charge of OpenAI’s design efforts, including software. Sam Altman and Ive are developing an AI hardware prototype that they describe as “the coolest technology the world has ever seen.” Altman believes this device could become OpenAI’s most transformative project to date, potentially adding $1 trillion in value.
LoveFrom,
Incidentally, the font used on their site is an original called “LoveFrom Serif.”
The Story Behind LoveFrom Serif
LoveFrom Serif was developed through deep research into Baskerville punches, printed books, and modern calligraphy manuals, and significantly expands on the classic typeface designed by John Baskerville in 1750s England. LoveFrom emphasized how typefaces act as “voices” or “tools” of communication, reflecting their broader creative philosophy beyond product design.
Unexpected Baskerville: The Story of LoveFrom Serif with the Letterform Archive
https://youtu.be/5b6g8eT0uuc
At a Stripe Conference
Jony Ive spoke alongside Stripe CEO Patrick Collison:
A conversation with Jony Ive
https://youtu.be/wLb9g_8r-mE
Patrick: “You once told me you wanted to ‘sincerely elevate the species.’”
Jony: “Yes, many times. I recall a Sunday afternoon agonizing over cable packaging. It’s a minor detail, but realizing millions would interact with this tiny tab, I felt compelled to design it lovingly. That kind of attention says, ‘someone cared about me.’ Steve [Jobs] used to say that love and care can be felt even without meeting the creator.”
OpenAI’s Redesigned Website
OpenAI’s visual presentation now reflects this human-centered design. Its new press release page uses LoveFrom Serif, resembling the style of LoveFrom.com, emphasizing design as communication.
Fonts used:
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OpenAISans-Regular.woff2
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OpenAISans-Medium.woff2
Even error pages now display meaningful quotes tagged with [by o4-mini-high].
A Collaboration Born of Love
The special video on OpenAI’s blog “Sam & Jony introduce io” was filmed at San Francisco’s iconic Zoetrope cafe, showcasing a heartfelt vision rooted in their hometown.
https://openai.com/sam-and-jony
Quotes from the video:
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Sam Altman: “AI is astonishing tech, but making it a good tool for humans requires intersectional work across tech, design, and human understanding.”
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Jony Ive: “Everything I learned in 30 years led to this moment.”
A year ago, Altman, Ive, and engineers like Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan founded io to explore new forms of computing devices powered by AI. Their goal? Create delightful, optimistic, imagination-capturing products.
What is io?
io is a hardware innovation collective founded by former Apple design veterans. They secretly collaborated with OpenAI to create human-centered prototypes, potentially signaling a new era in creativity and learning tools.
Ive once said, “This might be the greatest thing our team has ever built,” despite having created the iPhone and MacBook Pro. A prototype was brought home and it felt… natural. “This is the coolest tech the world has ever seen.”
Why San Francisco?
To Sam and Jony, San Francisco is more than just a birthplace for innovation. It is a symbolic, cultural crossroads that inspires creative breakthroughs. Its geography, eccentricity, and contradictions shape its unique creative energy.
Ive believes that to advance AI and humanity, we must focus not only on technology but on the people behind it—on their motivations, values, and capacity for care.
From Fonts to Autonomous Vehicles
Just as the design of a website or font can embody care, AI in society must go beyond mere functionality. Waymo’s self-driving car in SF, for example, isn’t only about getting from point A to B—it’s about how the experience makes people feel.
A device not existing yet - AImagine by AICU
io Fully Integrates into OpenAI
io’s teams will now join OpenAI’s San Francisco R&D. LoveFrom, led by Ive, becomes the design partner for both OpenAI and io, leading the charge toward “AI hardware” as a core output of OpenAI’s vision.
AICU’s Take: Not a Return to Apple, but a New Beginning
This isn’t just a big acquisition. It’s the beginning of AI products built around “the joy of use.”
Human creativity, learning, and expression must be shaped not only by prompts but by design and hardware.
The legendary designer behind Apple’s greatest hits now helps elevate humanity—this time, through AI with OpenAI.
Sam & Jony introduce io - OpenAI official
https://openai.com/sam-and-jony/
AICU - World News original, published May 23, 2025
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