OpenAI, the company that made its name convincing the world that chatbots could be genuinely useful, is now building something you can actually hold. Its first hardware product will be a smart speaker, a screenless device designed to function as what the company envisions as a humanlike AI companion.
The device is expected to integrate with ChatGPT, include a camera and various sensors for environmental awareness, and carry a price tag between $200 and $300. An unveiling is targeted for 2026, with a market launch planned for 2027.
From software darling to hardware maker
OpenAI laid the groundwork for this move back in May 2025, when it acquired Jony Ive’s AI hardware startup io Products in a deal valued at approximately $6.4 billion.
Ive is the legendary designer behind the iPhone, the iMac, and basically every piece of Apple hardware that made people willing to stand in line for hours.
