If you’ve been following the tech industry over the last few weeks, you’ll probably already know about the billion-pound deal between OpenAI and tech startup IO. What you might not know is exactly what this pertains to, or what other notable names in the sector have been saying. In this article, we’ll take a look at the acquisition and also what two of the biggest faces in technology have to say about the deal.
What’s going on?
On 21st May 2025, it was announced that OpenAI would be purchasing an AI hardware startup company called IO (also stylised as ‘io’). Founded by Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief, it is not quite clear exactly what products or services IO and OpenAI will be creating, but we do know that research, engineering and close collaboration with product teams in San Francisco will all play a big role. For their part, Ive and Sam Altman (the CEO of OpenAI) have described the partnership as leading to a “family of AI products”.
Why does any of this matter? It’s no surprise that technology is changing rapidly. New developments are constantly opening the doors for unique and innovative applications, with everything from the entertainment industry to the scientific and medical fields clamouring for proprietary AI uses. Even iGaming offerings, including slot games, have the potential to utilise cutting-edge technology for unparalleled player experiences.
Since the announcement, the tech industry has been abuzz with comments and opinions from some of the biggest names in the industry. This includes the CEO of Google and the CEO of Klarna, both of whom are excited to see what the future holds for OpenAI and IO.
Sundar Pichai (Google CEO)
Sundar Pichai has been the CEO of Google (and, more broadly, Alphabet Inc., which owns the tech subsidiary) since 2015. He was welcomed into Alphabet’s Board of Directors in 2017, and his influence on the technology juggernaut is unmistakable. Since his appointment as CEO, Pichai has sought to further Google’s use of cutting-edge technology, including the ever-expanding possibilities presented by AI.
Perhaps fittingly, Pichai was one of the first voices to applaud OpenAI’s US$6.5bn deal with Jony Ive over ownership of the latter’s startup IO. Noting that Jony Ive is a “one of a kind” designer, he expressed his belief that today’s technology landscape is similar to the technology landscape that existed around the dawn of Google (in the late 1990s and early 2000s), when the company quickly skyrocketed to the top of the industry. Pichai believes that we are poised for a similar tech revolution with AI, and taps OpenAI and Ive as the “next big thing”.
Sebastian Siemiatkowski (Klarna CEO)
In 2005, Sebastian Siemiatkowski co-founded Klarna, which quickly became one of the most-used financial apps in the world. He continues to serve as the company’s CEO.
In early 2025, Siemiatkowski invested millions into a ‘mystery’ tech startup. The name was initially withheld, but after OpenAI announced its billion-pound deal with Ive’s company IO, he revealed that IO was the unnamed organisation. He disclosed this in a post on X in response to the breaking news of the business deal. This is not necessarily a shock for those who follow the technology sector, as the CEO has been making noise about rebranding Klarna as an AI company in the near future. Siemiatkowski expressed excitement for the future of the deal and, of course, for his potentially hefty return on investment.
What do you think about the partnership between OpenAI and IO? From physical devices to computer-based services, we’re excited to see exactly what these two technology greats have to offer. While the future isn’t exactly clear and there are few specifics to consider, we’re confident that exciting things are on the horizon. Keep an eye out for breaking news in the future and stay on top of this developing topic!
