OpenAI is reportedly developing its first hardware product: a mobile smart speaker featuring integrated AI capabilities that can connect with ChatGPT and deliver various home AI functions.
According to recent reports, the device—still in the development phase—is intended to be screen-free and is envisioned as a “humanlike AI companion that resides within the home.”
OpenAI has expressed interest in creating a hardware product for some time, with speculation around the possibility of launching its own phone, which would put it in direct competition with major players like Apple.
The new device appears to differentiate itself from conventional smart speakers. Sources indicated that it possesses a “personality” and can learn about its owner progressively, thereby delivering a more tailored experience. It would also have access to a user’s digital life, utilizing information from emails and other sources.
Additionally, the device is uniquely characterized by its “mechanical elements that can move autonomously,” and the report emphasizes that it aims to “feel like a companion,” serving as a tangible embodiment of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The device’s development has involved numerous former Apple engineers who played significant roles in creating iconic products like the iPhone and Mac. However, while OpenAI seems poised to venture into hardware, it is currently facing legal challenges related to hardware issues.
Recently, Apple initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the AI company misappropriated its trade secrets. Apple has stated that these claims may be just “the tip of the iceberg” and expects to uncover more misconduct during the legal proceedings. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing.
Sources familiar with OpenAI’s intentions suggest the company believes its upcoming product “strays significantly from anything currently offered by Apple” and maintains that it is “unlikely to infringe on Apple’s trade secrets.”
OpenAI’s initiative comes amid rising enthusiasm in the tech industry for consumer AI hardware. For instance, Hark, an AI laboratory founded by Brett Adcock, recently raised $700 million in a Series A funding round, reaching a $6 billion valuation to develop what it describes as “personal intelligence”—custom AI models integrated with specialized hardware designed to serve as a “universal interface between humans and machines.”
The company has yet to disclose specifics about its device’s form factor, highlighting the substantial investment flowing into this category even before any products hit the market.
