I wouldn’t blame you if you spent the weekend watching the news and scrolling through social media to see whether World War 3 had started. Along the way, you might have noticed people tweeting about a puzzling move from OpenAI.
The company removed any mention of Jony Ive’s io startup, which OpenAI recently acquired for $6.5 billion to manufacture ChatGPT hardware. The announcement video featuring Jony Ive and Sam Altman disappeared. That was the clip where both executives confirmed OpenAI is developing its own AI hardware and shared the first teaser of the device.
Some people might have wondered if OpenAI suddenly scrapped plans to make ChatGPT hardware despite the massive investment. But the answer is much simpler. The ChatGPT io hardware is still happening, though OpenAI removed the information following a court order prompted by a trademark complaint from a company called iyO.
OpenAI acknowledged the page’s removal on X and told The Verge that the io deal is still moving forward. It had to take down the content due to the trademark issue. Here’s OpenAI’s statement:
This page is temporarily down due to a court order following a trademark complaint from iyO about our use of the name ‘io.’ We don’t agree with the complaint and are reviewing our options.
OpenAI needs to make ChatGPT hardware
I knew there had to be an explanation as soon as I saw people talking about OpenAI removing the Jony Ive video and press release. I’ve said it many times—OpenAI has no choice but to develop its own ChatGPT hardware.
Without its own devices, OpenAI can’t compete with Google, Apple, Meta, and other tech companies that are building AI-first platforms. I’m talking about products where advanced AI serves as a personal assistant, going well beyond anything we’ve seen before.
Reports following the io acquisition made it clear that OpenAI isn’t building a smartphone like the iPhone. Instead, the ChatGPT io hardware is designed to be worn around the neck or placed on a desk. The idea is that it’ll be the third most important device in a person’s life, after their iPhone and Mac.
OpenAI is developing new AI technologies for the still-unnamed ChatGPT io device, including enhanced abilities for the chatbot. ChatGPT will need to be aware of the user’s context, recognize who is speaking, and know when to respond.
Altman said in the now-deleted video that he had tried a prototype and praised the device.
You don’t pull the plug on a project like this overnight. A lot of work has already gone into the ChatGPT io product. OpenAI has likely designed and tested new experiences tailored for first-party hardware. Plenty of capital has been invested. That’s not something you just abandon.
OpenAI hinted at an official product launch in 2026. We’ll see if they deliver. I’m sure they’ll resolve the trademark issue in one way or another.
iyO who?
As for iyO, it’s a company making computers you talk to:
The iyo one is a revolutionary new kind of computer without a screen. It can run apps just like your smartphone. The key difference is you talk to it through a natural language interface.
Yeah, it sounds a lot like what OpenAI is working on with ChatGPT. The company, which began as a Google X project and has backing from Alphabet, lists two products on its site: the iyO One ($99) and the Vad Pro ($1,999).