On May 21, 2025, it was announced that OpenAI acquired the previously secretive startup “io,” founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, which develops software for artificial intelligence devices, in a deal valued at $6.5 billion.
The acquisition of a leading AI company demonstrates that the consolidation of the AI market in the United States is entering a new phase, where strategic acquisitions are evolving from commercial deals into tools for Washington’s geoeconomic advantage over Beijing.
OpenAI’s acquisition of the startup, involving the legendary Apple designer Jony Ive, signals the formation of a new innovation vertical, where design, AI architecture, and hardware implementation of software are integrated into a single ecosystem.
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