OpenAI has bought smartphone camera maker Glass Imaging in a deal worth over $300 million, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Based in Los Altos, California, Glass Imaging was founded in 2019 by Ziv Attar and Tom Bishop, both former Apple engineers who previously led the team responsible for Apple’s Portrait Mode.
AcquisitionsOpenAIGlass Imaging
OpenAI acquires smartphone camera maker Glass Imaging for over $300 million
Glass Imaging uses neural networks to learn about individual camera systems to yield better images from the moment the shutter clicks, aiming to overcome the physical size constraints of smartphone cameras. This approach focuses on using AI during the capture process rather than relying on AI to edit a photo after it has been taken.
The acquisition comes amid rumors that OpenAI is working on its own hardware, such as smartphones, earbuds, and AI companion devices. This follows OpenAI's $6.5 billion purchase of a company associated with designer Jony Ive, occurring while Sam Altman and Ive were reportedly working together on a device startup called io.
Sources
- OpenAI buys smartphone camera maker Glass Imaging for $300M （Hacker News Frontpage, 2026-09-15）