OpenAI plans to launch a doughnut-shaped, hockey puck-sized smart speaker in 2027 priced between $300 and $400. The screenless, battery-powered device is designed as a physical AI companion with moving parts and advanced voice features, according to reports from Bloomberg.
The upcoming consumer hardware project marks a major strategic pivot for OpenAI, which built its reputation on software models like ChatGPT. Developed in partnership with the design studio LoveFrom, founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, the device aims to establish a new category of home computer tailored for the artificial intelligence era, as Seattletimes.
The device will feature a distinct physical build constructed from high-quality metal, featuring a premium look and movable components designed to give it a lifelike personality. Measuring roughly the size of a hockey puck, the doughnut-shaped speaker includes a rechargeable battery that allows users to carry it easily from room to room with one hand, functioning similarly to Amazon’s discontinued Tap speaker, according to The Verge.
Pricing is expected to range between $300 and $400 per unit, placing it well above mainstream smart speakers like Amazon’s line, which spans from $40 to $240, TechCrunch noted. The project follows OpenAI’s acquisition of the Jony Ive-helmed startup io, an investment valued at $6.5 billion that laid the groundwork for this hardware push, Engadget reported.
Unlike standard smart displays or conventional speakers, the device operates without a screen, relying instead on a camera system and environmental sensors to monitor its surroundings and understand context, according to Engadget. It is built to serve as a humanlike companion capable of answering questions, playing media, handling messages, and controlling smart home appliances, as MacRumors detailed.
The speaker draws on personal information, such as emails, to learn about its owner over time, aiming to become more proactive and personalized, Android Authority reported. Its voice interactions run on advanced iterations of ChatGPT’s conversational modes, delivering heightened contextual awareness designed to connect with users on a humanlike level, PYMNTS noted.
OpenAI’s entrance into hardware faces immediate legal friction. Apple filed a lawsuit in July accusing OpenAI of stealing trade secrets through former Apple employees who joined the AI lab, allegedly utilizing confidential information such as proprietary metal finishing techniques for device development, reported MacRumors.
Apple has asked the court for an injunction that could prohibit OpenAI from releasing hardware if granted, MacRumors added.
“OpenAI is building something entirely new and different from anything at Apple.”
OpenAI, in a court filing cited by PYMNTS
OpenAI further asserted in the motion that Apple should not be permitted to use a baseless and pretextual lawsuit to compensate for its own recruitment challenges and difficulties integrating artificial intelligence into its product lineup.
While OpenAI plans to officially unveil the device later this year ahead of the 2027 commercial release, those timelines remain subject to change depending on the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings, Android Authority reported.
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