Paul Meade, Apple's vice president in charge of the Vision Products Group, is reportedly leaving the company next week to join OpenAI, where he will establish and lead a new hardware division. The news, reported by Bloomberg, marks a turning point for both Apple, which loses one of its top mixed-reality experts, and OpenAI, which accelerates its vertical integration strategy with physical AI-powered devices.
Meade spent seven years leading Vision Pro hardware before moving to OpenAI
During his tenure at Apple, Meade oversaw Vision Pro hardware engineering for seven years, taking the headset from concept to commercial launch. He was also responsible for Apple's smart glasses projects, which are not expected until late 2027. Before joining the Vision Products Group in 2017, Meade worked on the iPad and iPhone, two of the company's most iconic product lines. His departure represents a significant loss for Apple's hardware engineering division.
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OpenAI doubles down on physical devices after merger with Jony Ive's team
OpenAI is no stranger to hardware. Since 2025, the company has been developing AI-powered devices in collaboration with Jony Ive's startup, io. The merger between io and OpenAI was valued at $6.5 billion, but io remains independent. With Meade's arrival, OpenAI is creating an in-house hardware department, and it is unclear how this will affect the relationship with Ive. Bloomberg reports that Meade will oversee the development of a family of AI-powered devices, while The Information earlier this year revealed that Ive's studio is working on a series of AI devices, including a smart speaker expected to launch in 2027.
Tim Cook's succession triggers Meade's departure
According to Bloomberg, the main reason behind Meade's departure is the impending appointment of John Ternus as Apple's CEO. Ternus, currently senior vice president of hardware engineering, will take over from Tim Cook on September 1. This transition likely pushed Meade to seek new opportunities, leading him to accept OpenAI's offer. Fletcher Rothkopf, one of the founders of the Vision Pro team, will assume many of Meade's responsibilities.
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In an increasingly competitive AI landscape, OpenAI's move to attract a top Apple executive underscores its ambition to compete not only in software but also in hardware. For Apple, losing Meade comes at a delicate time, with a new CEO on the horizon and the need to revive its mixed-reality segment after disappointing Vision Pro sales. OpenAI, meanwhile, has already demonstrated its intention to embed AI into physical products, as evidenced by rumors of a wearable voice assistant device.
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Sources suggest that OpenAI's new hardware could include a smart earbud capable of real-time translation and contextual assistance, similar to what the LineShine supercomputer does for parallel computing, but on a personal scale. Meade's move could accelerate the development of consumer AI devices, a market still in its infancy but with enormous potential. It remains to be seen whether the collaboration with Jony Ive will continue or whether the new internal division will fully absorb that project.
For more context on how power dynamics between tech companies affect supply chains, see the article on Micron and Apple. Meade's departure is the latest example of how artificial intelligence is reshaping corporate hierarchies.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/2203115/apple-executive-vision-pro-leaving-for-openai
