Looking forward to 'Open-io': Google CEO Sundar Pichai lauds OpenAI-Jony Ive collab

Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai headlined the AI-packed Google I/O event in Mountain View, California earlier this month. A few hours and 40-odd miles away in San Francisco, OpenAI founder Sam Altman and former iPhone designer Jony Ive announced a partnership for a novel AI device. In a recent interview with The Verge, Pichai said he is looking forward to the technology that will come out of this collaboration.

On May 21, OpenAI said it will buy and absorb Ive's AI devices startup, io, in an all-equity deal worth $6.4 billion. Ive and his creative collective LoveFrom will take on "deep creative and design responsibilities across OpenAI and io".

And Pichai is excited. "I'm looking forward to a 'Open-io' announcement ahead of Google I/O," he said in response to a question on competition intensifying as a result of the collaboration.


"People tend to underestimate this moment... I always like to point out when the internet happened, Google didn't even exist. I think AI is going to be bigger than the internet. There are going to be companies, products, categories created, which we aren't aware of today. So I think the future looks exciting," Pichai said.

Pichai emphasised that currently there is a lot of opportunity to innovate around hardware form factors with the platform shift to AI. "I'm looking forward to seeing what they do."


The video announcement for the OpenAI-io deal indicated that the prototype of their first AI product is ready, designed by Ive and at least informally approved by Altman. The duo said the product will be launched by 2026, giving no further details about its scope or capabilities.

Ive is known for designing iconic Apple products, including iPhones, MacBooks, iPods and iPads. His Lovefrom has worked with Ferrari and Airbnb in the past.

Meanwhile, this is OpenAI's largest acquisition yet, and comes close on heels of its deal to buy AI-assisted coding tool Windsurf for about $3 billion.

Also Read: ET Explainer: Jony Ive & Sam Altman threaten to take a bite out of Apple