OpenAI has been rumoured to enter the consumer technology category with a unique hardware product, and we may finally know what it could be. According to a new report, the ChatGPT maker could be building a screen-free smart speaker designed to act as a personalised AI companion and integrate seamlessly into homes.
OpenAI Could Launch a ChatGPT-powered Smart Speaker
As per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, moving away from traditional smart home devices, OpenAI's upcoming hardware is internally known as a "Humanlike AI companion". The device will reportedly feature a distinct personality, alongside the ability to learn about its owner by accessing personal digital data like emails.
The latest report further elaborates on its capabilities, such as controlling appliances, playing media, answering messages, and understanding its surroundings using a built-in camera and sensors. The smart speaker could learn and become more humanlike and proactive over time, with OpenAI seemingly calling it "A computer built for AI". It could be unveiled this year and ship in 2027.
In a departure from standard speakers, it is said to incorporate mechanical parts to give it a lifelike presence and to make it a physical version of the brand's AI chatbot, ChatGPT. More details about the product currently remain under wraps, with more information expected to come out later this year.
While this would make the first product resulting from the OpenAI and Jony Ive partnership, it's already off to a rough start, with legal troubles raised by Apple. Since the development of the speaker has been supported by ex-Apple engineers who worked on products like the Mac and iPhone, Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that OpenAI stole critical hardware trade secrets.
Apple strongly claims that OpenAI's misconduct is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but OpenAI denies any wrongdoing. Besides, insiders suggest OpenAI is confident in its position, claiming that its upcoming hardware is unlike anything Apple has ever developed and unlikely to infringe on trade secrets.
For those unaware, this is not the only AI device that OpenAI is planning to launch. Back when the brand partnered with Jony Ive, reports of OpenAI's first AI smartphone surfaced online, alongside four other AI-powered devices. More information about the upcoming OpenAI devices, including the smart speaker, should be revealed as we inch closer to the end of 2026, so stay tuned.
