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Hans India
an hour ago
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI Scrubs Jony Ive Deal from Web Amid Trademark Battle with Rival AI Firm
In a sudden turn of events, OpenAI has removed all public references to its much-discussed $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive's AI hardware startup, IO Products. The move follows a legal challenge over trademark infringement by a competing firm with a similar name, stirring speculation and concern across the tech community. Over the weekend, social media users noticed the disappearance of promotional content and the official website linked to the IO Products deal. Both OpenAI and representatives for Jony Ive have since confirmed that the takedown was prompted by an ongoing trademark dispute with IYO Inc., a company also operating in the AI device space. According to Bloomberg, the case is now under judicial review. Responding to the controversy, a spokesperson for Ive called the legal complaint 'an utterly baseless complaint and we'll fight it vigorously.' The IO Products deal, officially unveiled in May, marked a pivotal shift for OpenAI—best known for its generative AI software. The partnership with Ive, the legendary former Apple designer behind iconic devices like the iPhone and iMac, aimed to bring OpenAI's first AI hardware device to market within a year. At the time of the announcement, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had predicted that the company could sell up to 100 million units of the new hardware. He even suggested the acquisition could potentially boost OpenAI's valuation by $1 trillion, stating, 'This is the biggest thing we've ever done as a company.' In a now-deleted blog post, Altman and Ive had jointly written, 'It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company.' OpenAI's financial commitment to the deal included $5 billion in equity, in addition to its existing 23% stake in IO from an earlier collaboration. IO Products was incorporated in Delaware in September 2023 and later registered in California in April 2025, according to public filings. Heading the new hardware division is OpenAI executive Peter Welinder, known for pioneering work in robotics and innovative product development. The team includes experts across design, hardware, software, and manufacturing, collaborating closely with OpenAI's San Francisco-based engineering and research teams. Altman and Ive's collaboration dates back to early 2023, though the public got its first hint of an 'AI-first device' in February 2025. While specific details remain under wraps, industry watchers speculate the product could rival the Humane AI Pin or Rabbit R1, or even explore futuristic formats like smart glasses, in-car systems, or AI-integrated robots. Reflecting on the collaboration, Ive shared, 'I have a growing sense that everything I have learned over the last 30 years has led me to this moment. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an important collaboration.' Altman added his admiration for Ive's approach, saying, 'AI is an incredible technology, but great tools require work at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding people and the world. No one can do this like Jony and his team; the amount of care they put into every aspect of the process is extraordinary.' As legal proceedings continue, OpenAI's ambitious foray into hardware hangs in the balance, with stakeholders closely watching how the trademark challenge might affect the future of this high-stakes collaboration.
Bloomberg
10 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Jony Ive Deal Removed from OpenAI Site Over Trademark Suit
Marketing materials and video related to a blockbuster partnership between former Apple Inc. designer Jony Ive and OpenAI Inc. were removed from the web due to a trademark dispute. Social media users noticed Sunday that a video and website hosted by OpenAI that announced the artificial intelligence company's $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive's secretive AI hardware startup IO Products were no longer online, prompting speculation about a hiccup in the agreement.
