For months, rumors have suggested that OpenAI’s first hardware product could be a wearable AI device, or perhaps even the beginning of its long-term smartphone ambitions. As it turns out, the company’s first gadget may be something far simpler, yet arguably far more ambitious. It will help control smart-home appliances, play media, answer questions, respond to messages, and tap into the range of capabilities offered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, according to people familiar with the matter.
OpenAI’s first AI device could end up being a speaker, following plenty of hype that the company is actually working on a wearable AI device and might even launch a smartphone down the road. According to a Bloomberg report, the speaker will serve as a human-like AI companion that will integrate directly with the smart home ecosystem.
“OpenAI believes the product’s defining feature will be its personality and ability to connect on a humanlike level with users,” adds the report.
The device will likely serve as a hub for a proactive AI agent, one that not only answers user queries but also anticipates what a user might need in the moment.
More companion than speaker
Despite resembling a smart speaker, Bloomberg says OpenAI internally sees the product as something much bigger: the company’s first AI-native computer. Simply put, it could very well be a physical manifestation of the ChatGPT AI assistant, designed to stay nearby and proactively help throughout the day rather than waiting for users to ask questions.
More notably, the speaker will feature a mechanical design that offers a certain level of movement or directional flexibility, making it feel a little more alive than the smart speakers we’re used to today. The idea sounds somewhat similar to what Apple has reportedly been building over the years with the HomePod. To recall, Apple is said to be working on its own smart display that’s likely mounted on a movable robotic arm, although OpenAI appears to be taking a screen-free approach focused entirely on voice and AI interactions.
At the heart of those human-machine interactions will be GPT-Live, the voice-first mode of ChatGPT that’s designed to feel remarkably natural during conversations. Bloomberg also says the device will include a camera for understanding its surroundings, while an additional environmental sensor could help it detect context in a manner similar to Amazon’s presence-sensing Echo devices. The goal, it seems, is to build an assistant that doesn’t just hear commands, but understands the world around it.
Just the beginning of OpenAI’s hardware ambitions
OpenAI’s smart speaker is also expected to include a rechargeable battery, meaning it won’t necessarily have to remain plugged into a wall like traditional smart speakers. Instead, users could carry it from room to room, allowing the AI companion to stay close throughout the day. Bloomberg adds that this is only the beginning. OpenAI is reportedly developing five different hardware products, with the smart speaker expected to be the first to launch in 2027. The broader effort is being shaped by LoveFrom, the design studio founded by legendary former Apple design chief Jony Ive, which is helping OpenAI explore an entirely new family of AI-powered devices.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting. Apple recently filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of poaching employees and using them to obtain confidential product information related to future hardware. Yet, if Bloomberg’s report is accurate, the company’s first device isn’t trying to be another smartphone or smart display. Instead, OpenAI appears to be betting that the next big AI gadget could be something far more personal — a companion that quietly follows users through their day, understands their surroundings, and feels less like a gadget and more like someone always ready to help.
