OpenAI has acquired smartphone camera maker Glass Imaging in a deal worth more than $300 million, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal published on September 14, 2026. The report said the Los Altos company was founded in 2019 and had previously raised about $30 million.
Company background and founders
Glass Imaging was founded by Ziv Attar and Tom Bishop, both former Apple engineers who previously led the team that developed Apple’s Portrait Mode, the report noted. The startup applies neural networks to the camera capture process, training models for individual camera systems—such as the different lenses and sensors across smartphone models—to produce improved images at the moment the shutter is pressed rather than relying on post-capture editing.
Deal and broader context
The Wall Street Journal described the transaction as a purchase valued at just over $300 million. OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the report added. The acquisition follows public reporting that OpenAI has explored building hardware, with rumors linking the company to work on smartphones, earbuds, and so-called AI companion devices.
Earlier reporting in 2025 said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and designer Jony Ive had revealed collaboration on a device startup called io; that same coverage stated OpenAI acquired Ive’s company for $6.5 billion. The Wall Street Journal framed the Glass Imaging purchase inside that broader hardware interest.
The report emphasizes Glass Imaging’s approach of integrating learned camera models into the capture pipeline rather than applying AI only as post-processing. Beyond the stated purchase price, the report did not include further financial terms or a timeline for integration into OpenAI’s projects.
Original source: TechCrunch AI