SAN FRANCISCO, November 25, 2025 – OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and ex-Apple designer Jony Ive have unveiled a prototype for their collaborative hardware venture’s inaugural product: a compact, button-free AI device designed to anticipate user needs through voice, gestures, and sensors.
The orb-shaped gadget, from io Ventures, aims to embed OpenAI’s language models into everyday objects, offering a subtle alternative to screen-heavy smart assistants.
The device, code-named “io,” measures about the size of a softball and features a seamless matte exterior. It processes interactions locally for privacy, using advanced GPT iterations to handle tasks like adjusting home lighting based on voice tone or generating meal ideas from nearby ingredients.
Altman demonstrated its proactive capabilities during a private showing at OpenAI’s offices, where it responded to unspoken cues without prompting.
io Ventures emerged this year after Ive’s LoveFrom acquired a stake in OpenAI for roughly $6.5 billion, forming a 55-member team of former Apple talent. The group has secured $1 billion in funding led by Thrive Capital, with Ive retaining majority ownership. Production is targeted for 2027, with an estimated retail price of $300 to $500, though final specs are pending.
Altman, a vocal proponent of AI hardware, framed the project as a response to clunky existing devices. “This isn’t just another smart speaker; it’s a quiet intelligence that understands you before you speak,” he said. Ive, known for the iPhone’s elegance, called it “an object that disappears into usefulness,” per the Tech in Asia report .
This prototype positions OpenAI deeper into consumer hardware, where physical AI could redefine interactions—but execution will determine if it achieves Ive’s vision of unobtrusive utility.
