OpenAI has just gone through a full rebrand, with a fresh new look, complete with an updated typeface, logo, and color palette. In an interview with Wallpaper, the team shared some insights into the process behind these changes.
At first glance, the new logo might look almost identical to the old one, but if you put them side by side, you may notice the difference. The updated “blossom” design has a slightly bigger space in the center and cleaner, more refined lines.
Thoughts on the "refreshed" @OpenAI brand & design language?
To me it just looks like they formalized what they already have been using, along with a new font… pic.twitter.com/uTyaGXR0pk
— Allen Djal (@allendjal) February 4, 2025
OpenAI’s new look was created in-house by a design team led by Head of Design Veit Moeller and Design Director Shannon Jager. They collaborated with Berlin-based type foundry ABC Dinamo and motion experts Studio Dumbar from Rotterdam to bring everything together.
OpenAI attempts to create cohesive identity with rebrand
Chatting from OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco, Jager and Moeller admitted that, until now, the company’s visual identity was a bit all over the place. It was said to be a mix of different fonts, logos, and colors that didn’t really follow a clear strategy. This rebrand is all about bringing that much-needed cohesion and unity to how OpenAI presents itself to the world.
Moeller told the publication: “Sam [Altman] asked us to look at the identity just over a year ago.” The company’s CEO is believed to be one of the original designers of the initial logo.
OpenAI’s in-house rebrand, led by Head of Design Veit Moeller and Design Director Shannon Jager. pic.twitter.com/hN9yDg4Tlf
— Design Everywhere (@dsgnevrywhr) February 5, 2025
OpenAI has come a long way from a research lab to a company in the global spotlight. With that evolution, Moeller and his team had to rethink its visual identity, aiming for something that felt “more organic and more human” while still keeping the sense of authority, technological sophistication, and deep research roots that define OpenAI.
Jager added: “We did a merch store drop earlier this year.
“We initiated new designs and merch and it was met with a frenzy by internal employees who loved it so much that they hacked the site to get more – that’s a testament to how things work around here.”
OpenAI Sans font
As part of the rebrand, OpenAI introduced a new typeface called OpenAI Sans, designed to strike a balance between geometric precision and a more friendly, approachable feel. They’ve incorporated it into the OpenAI wordmark, where the “O” has a perfectly round exterior but a slightly imperfect interior—an intentional touch to soften any overly robotic precision and make it “feel more human,” according to Moeller.
When asked if OpenAI’s own AI-powered tools, like ChatGPT, played a role in the design process, he mentioned that the team only used AI to help calculate different type weights.
OpenAI’s designers explained that while they work with top experts in photography, typography, motion, and spatial design, they also integrate AI tools like DALL·E, ChatGPT, and Sora as creative collaborators.
Featured image: OpenAI