Apple Hardware VP Paul Meade Joins OpenAI

Paul Meade, Apple's VP of hardware engineering for Vision Products, departs after 15 years to join OpenAI's consumer hardware unit.

Paul Meade is leaving Apple after a 15-year tenure to join OpenAI's hardware unit, which focuses on bringing consumer-oriented AI devices to market. At Apple, Meade served as Vice President of hardware engineering for the Vision Products Group, overseeing the Vision Pro and upcoming smart glasses scheduled for 2027. His departure follows other high-profile exits, including Stuart Bowers, John Ginnandrea, and Alan Dye, alongside the hiring of Apple veterans Matt Theobald and Cyrus Daniel Irani by OpenAI. OpenAI is currently developing AI-powered earbuds codenamed Sweetpea, potentially branded as Dime, and a pen-shaped device codenamed Gumdrop. Additionally, reports indicate OpenAI is developing an AI-powered smartphone to be assembled by Luxshare, featuring a customized MediaTek Dimensity 9600 chip built on TSMC's N2P node. Apple has responded to the talent drain by increasing annual bonuses for key design team members to between $200,000 and $400,000.