OpenAI has acquired smartphone camera maker Glass Imaging in a deal worth more than $300 million, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The acquisition gives the ChatGPT maker access to technology developed by former Apple engineers as it expands its ambitions in consumer hardware.
Former Apple Engineers Behind Glass Imaging
Glass Imaging was founded in 2019 by Ziv Attar and Tom Bishop, former Apple engineers who previously led the team that developed Apple's Portrait Mode. The company is based in Los Altos, California, and had raised about $30 million from investors before the acquisition.
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The startup uses artificial intelligence to address the physical limitations of smartphone cameras. Its technology relies on neural networks trained around individual camera systems, including the different cameras used across smartphone models.
Unlike AI tools that enhance an image after it has been captured, Glass Imaging's technology is designed to improve image quality from the moment the shutter is pressed.
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OpenAI Expands Hardware Push
The acquisition comes as OpenAI steps up its efforts to develop consumer hardware. The company is reportedly exploring products including smartphones, earbuds and AI companion devices.
OpenAI has also been working with former Apple design chief Jony Ive on hardware. In 2025, OpenAI acquired Ive's company in a deal valued at $6.5 billion after the two had revealed their collaboration on a new device startup.
The addition of Glass Imaging could strengthen OpenAI's camera and imaging capabilities as it develops its hardware strategy. The acquisition also brings in a team with experience in smartphone photography and Apple's camera technology.
However, OpenAI is yet to comment on the development.
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