OpenAI plans to enter the consumer electronics market with an AI-powered smart speaker designed as a home companion, according to Bloomberg sources.
The product’s key feature is its “personality” and ability to interact with users on a human-like level, sources told the publication.
The device includes a camera and other sensors to account for environment and context, along with mechanical elements that can move independently. OpenAI’s new product will have a built-in battery, allowing it to be moved from room to room throughout the day.
The system will also access the owner’s messages and emails to better understand user habits.
The assistant will operate on an advanced version of the GPT-Live voice mode, which OpenAI released in early July. The device will be able to control smart home devices, play media, and respond to messages via ChatGPT. The company envisions the speaker as a user companion and a physical embodiment of the chatbot.
The design is overseen by former Apple design director Jony Ive. Other former Apple employees who worked on the iPhone and Mac have joined the project.
OpenAI plans to unveil the device by the end of 2026 and begin sales in 2027. However, an Apple lawsuit could delay the timeline—filed on July 10, it accuses the AI startup of stealing trade secrets. One of the individuals involved is Tan Tan, OpenAI’s chief hardware officer and former head of iPhone product design.
The speaker is one of five gadgets currently being developed by OpenAI. In July, the Codex Micro mini-keyboard for AI agent control went on sale. It features a change confirmation button, microphone, reasoning level control, and a skill selection stick. Users can choose from low-profile switches in clicky and silent versions, as well as a set of 32 interchangeable keys.
In June, OpenAI filed a confidential application for an IPO, which could value the company at $1 trillion.
