Paul Meade, Apple's VP leading the Vision Products Group, will leave next week to head OpenAI's new hardware division. Meade oversaw Vision Pro headset engineering for seven years and spearheaded Apple's smart glasses development ahead of a late-2027 launch.

At Apple, Meade worked on iPad and iPhone hardware before joining Vision Products Group in 2017. His departure comes as John Ternus prepares to replace Tim Cook as CEO this September, though the exact connection remains unclear.

OpenAI has partnered with Jony Ive's io startup since 2025 on AI-powered devices, including a smart speaker expected in 2027. Ive's company merged with OpenAI in a $6.5 billion deal but maintains independence. Meade will now oversee development of a broader family of AI devices.

Fletcher Rothkopf, an original Vision Pro team founder, will absorb many of Meade's responsibilities. This executive shift signals OpenAI's push toward consumer hardware while Apple's mixed-reality roadmap continues under new leadership. The timing suggests competition for talent in the emerging AI device market.