OpenAI’s first AI device may know your emails, control your home and talk like a human

OpenAI’s first consumer hardware product may not be a wearable or an AI pendant after all. Instead, the ChatGPT maker is reportedly planning to launch a portable AI-powered smart speaker meant to serve as a human-like AI companion that lives in the home, according to a Bloomberg report.

Reportedly, the device is still under development but, when it’s ready, it could help users control smart home appliances, play music, answer questions, respond to messages and access ChatGPT’s capabilities.

The report notes that OpenAI’s hardware division is working on around five products, but the lineup is expected to begin with the speaker. The company is said to be aiming to unveil the device in 2027, although that timeline could change depending on how the legal process unfolds in Apple’s lawsuit.

Notably, the iPhone maker filed a lawsuit last week claiming that OpenAI stole its trade secrets for the development of its own AI hardware devices. The company also called for an injunction against OpenAI’s hardware, which could potentially delay the company’s hardware push.

However, OpenAI reportedly believes that the new smart speaker is very different from anything offered by Apple and is unlikely to violate the Cupertino-based tech giant’s trade secrets.

What to expect from OpenAI’s hardware device

OpenAI’s new device is said to feature a camera along with other sensors to help it understand a user’s surroundings and context. It is also said to come with advanced AI models that could be far ahead of those found in conventional smart speakers.

While the speaker is primarily designed to stay in the home, OpenAI is also reportedly working on making it portable. The device is said to feature a rechargeable battery, allowing users to carry it around the house instead of keeping it plugged into one location.

Reportedly, the speaker is meant to become more personalised and proactive as it develops a deeper understanding of its owner over time. The new device could be capable of anticipating the user’s needs, proactively serving information and acting as an expert on its owner.

It is said to feel like a companion and become a physical manifestation of ChatGPT. OpenAI is internally describing the device as the first-of-its-kind computer built for AI to help busy people become more productive.

A key element of the speaker is said to be the addition of mechanical elements that move on their own, making it feel alive rather than simply responding to its owner’s commands.

The speaker will reportedly run on OpenAI’s GPT-Live, the latest voice AI model the company launched to make ChatGPT conversations feel more like human conversations.

The project is being developed by OpenAI’s hardware division, which acquired former Apple designer Jony Ive’s startup io last year. Reportedly, LoveFrom, the design studio founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, is helping develop the new hardware lineup.