OpenAI reportedly plans to enter the consumer hardware market with a portable, screenless smart speaker that serves as an AI companion in the home.
The device will use cameras, sensors, voice controls, and advanced AI models to understand its surroundings, answer questions, control smart-home products, play media, respond to messages, and help users complete daily tasks.
Bloomberg reports that OpenAI wants the product to feel more personal than a standard smart speaker, with a rechargeable battery that allows users to carry it between rooms. The company also plans to give the device mechanical parts that move automatically, helping it appear more responsive and lifelike during conversations.
“OpenAI’s much-anticipated push into consumer devices is slated to begin with a mobile, screen-free smart speaker designed to be a new type of home computer for the AI era,” Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the project.
OpenAI wants the speaker to become a personal AI companion
The speaker will reportedly use an advanced version of ChatGPT Voice Mode called GPT-Live, which can listen and speak at the same time while handling conversations more naturally.
OpenAI also expects the device to learn from personal information, including emails, so it can understand routines, anticipate needs, and surface useful information without waiting for a direct command.
The company plans to unveil the device in 2026 before a possible release in 2027, although Apple’s trade secret lawsuit could affect the schedule. OpenAI is reportedly developing around five hardware products, including wearable concepts, home robotics, and a future mobile AI device designed to replace the smartphone.
