Last year, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, brought in former Apple designer, Jony Ive, to design AI-powered hardware products. The Sam Altman-led AI startup has had its eyes on hardware devices for some time now, as the company struggles to generate more revenue,
Now, according to a new report, the first device from OpenAI could be a smartspeaker that may have inbuilt cameras. Here are all the details.
How will OpenAI’s smart speaker work?
According to The Information, OpenAI is reportedly planning to release a smart speaker as its first hardware device. The device will likely feature a built-in camera. This will allow the device to have a clear idea of its surroundings, and it would be capable of identifying objects and potentially even users – such as items on a nearby table or conversations people are having in the vicinity.
The speaker will be designed by Jony Ive who is leading the design team at OpenAI. Ive’s design startup io was acquired by the Sam Altman-led startup for $6.5 billion in May 2025. As per reports, 200 employees are working on OpenAI’s hardware projects.
The report also indicates that apart from features such as answering queries, and conversations with the AI via the speaker, users may get to use face recognition to unlock the device or make purchases, similar to Apple’s FaceID.
This may enable users to make purchases directly via the device, streamlining the shopping experience but also raising questions about the security and management of biometric data.
What about privacy?
Unlike many current smart speakers that await a wake word, OpenAI’s product is likely designed for persistent listening and observation. Reports suggest the speaker will be “built to track and understand ambient conversations in its immediate surroundings, giving it close to ‘always-on’ capabilities.”
This may also include scenarios where the speaker recognises that the user is staying up late at night before an important exam or meeting. This could also raise questions over user privacy. However, it is unclear how OpenAI plans to tackle this issue for now.
OpenAI smart speaker launch and expected price
OpenAI reportedly does not plan to release the smart speaker before early 2027. As per the report, this smart speaker may be priced between $200 (roughly Rs 18,000) and $300 (roughly Rs 27,000) in the US.
The company’s roadmap also includes possibly developing other devices such as smart glasses and a smart lamp, but their fate remains unclear. The company is also expected to be working on an in-ear audio device, codenamed “Sweetpea.”
OpenAI’s entry into hardware comes at a time when other tech giants are making similar moves. Apple is rumoured to be developing its own range of AI-powered gadgets, including smart glasses, an AI pendant, and AirPods with cameras.
