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OpenAI has reportedly hired Paul Meade, one of Apple's senior hardware executives who led engineering for the Vision Pro headset and the company's smart glasses initiative. The move marks another high-profile addition to OpenAI's growing AI hardware team, which has been expanding since the company teamed up with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to develop AI-first devices.

HIGHLIGHTS

• OpenAI has reportedly hired Apple executive Paul Meade, who led Vision Pro hardware engineering.
• Meade is expected to join OpenAI's hardware unit working on its upcoming AI-powered devices.
• He previously oversaw Apple's Vision Pro engineering team for seven years and also led work on Apple's smart glasses project.
• His responsibilities at Apple will reportedly transition to Fletcher Rothkopf, his longtime deputy.
• The move comes after recent changes within Apple's hardware engineering organisation.

OpenAI adds another senior Apple executive

OpenAI's efforts to build a dedicated AI hardware business continue to gather momentum with the reported hiring of Paul Meade. According to Bloomberg, Meade, an Apple vice president, is expected to leave the company and join OpenAI's hardware division, where he will contribute to the development of the company's upcoming family of AI-powered devices.

The appointment adds another experienced Apple executive to OpenAI's expanding hardware team. Earlier, OpenAI announced it would work with former Apple design chief Jony Ive and several designers from LoveFrom to establish io, a subsidiary focused on creating AI-first hardware products. Since then, the company has also brought in several current and former Apple designers and engineers to support those efforts.

Among those who have joined are Evans Hankey, who succeeded Jony Ive as Apple's design leader for three years, and Tang Tan, another longtime Apple executive. Meade's addition further strengthens the engineering side of OpenAI's growing hardware ambitions.

Paul Meade's role at Apple

According to the report, Meade spent seven years leading the Apple Vision Pro hardware engineering team while also overseeing Apple's work on its first smart glasses. The smart glasses are reportedly expected to arrive in late 2027.

His career at Apple stretches back much further than the Vision Products Group. Meade worked as a key iPad manager in 2010 before becoming head of iPhone program management in 2012. He later joined the Vision Products Group in 2017 and took over responsibility for all hardware engineering within the division in 2019.

With Meade departing, many of his responsibilities will reportedly move to Fletcher Rothkopf, his longtime deputy who currently leads product design for both the Vision Pro headset and Apple's smart glasses programme.

Leadership changes inside Apple's hardware division

The report says Meade's departure comes after a recent restructuring within Apple's hardware engineering organisation.

Following John Ternus' appointment as Apple's next chief executive, Apple chip chief Johny Srouji became the company's chief hardware officer. That transition was followed by a broader reshuffle of the hardware engineering division, resulting in several vice presidents receiving new responsibilities.

Under the revised reporting structure, Meade and several other senior hardware leaders were moved to report to Tom Marieb, Apple's new vice president of hardware engineering, rather than directly to Johny Srouji. Marieb, in turn, reports to Srouji, effectively adding another management layer within the organisation.

According to the report, the restructuring left some executives feeling they had been moved into less prominent positions following the organisational changes.

OpenAI continues building its AI hardware team

Meade's reported move reflects OpenAI's continued investment in AI-powered hardware following the creation of io alongside Jony Ive and LoveFrom designers.

While OpenAI has yet to reveal its first hardware product, the company has steadily assembled a team that includes experienced Apple executives from industrial design, product development and hardware engineering. Meade is expected to contribute to the company's upcoming portfolio of AI devices as OpenAI continues expanding beyond software and AI models into dedicated consumer hardware.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Paul Meade?
Paul Meade is an Apple executive who led hardware engineering for the Vision Pro headset and also oversaw the company's smart glasses initiative.

2. What role will Paul Meade have at OpenAI?
According to the report, he will join OpenAI's hardware unit to work on the company's upcoming family of AI-powered devices.

3. Who will take over Meade's responsibilities at Apple?
The report says many of his responsibilities will transition to Fletcher Rothkopf, his longtime deputy overseeing product design for Vision Pro and Apple's smart glasses efforts.

4. How does Meade's hiring fit into OpenAI's hardware strategy?
His appointment follows OpenAI's partnership with Jony Ive and LoveFrom designers to create io, a subsidiary focused on developing AI-first hardware, as well as the hiring of several former Apple designers and engineers.

5. What changes have recently taken place within Apple's hardware organisation?
The report says Apple reshuffled its hardware engineering structure after Johny Srouji became chief hardware officer, with several executives receiving new reporting lines and responsibilities.