More details continue to emerge about OpenAI’s mysterious new hardware device. It was previously described as an AI-powered smart speaker that will be a “physical representation” of ChatGPT.
Bloomberg now reports that the device will be “doughnut-shaped” and designed for users to carry it around the house and place it in various locations, such as a bedside table or kitchen counter.
It will be made of “high-quality metal,” have a “luxury look,” and (in cryptic detail) have distinct “moving parts,” officials told Bloomberg.
According to the report, they could be slightly more expensive than the average smart speaker, perhaps $300 to $400 each. For comparison, most smart home speakers on Amazon range in price from $40 on the low end to $240 on the high end.
In summary…an expensive conversational AI donut with moving parts? There is a certain logic to OpenAI releasing a smart home device in terms of further integrating ChatGPT into users’ lives. But historically, smart speakers haven’t always been profitable and can be a difficult market to break into. A potentially higher price point may not help either.
The device is being developed in partnership with LoveFrom, the design studio founded by famed former Apple developer Jony Ive, and will likely be released sometime in 2027, Bloomberg writes.
The company’s attempts to enter the hardware market were not without problems. OpenAI is currently being sued by current hardware tycoon Apple, alleging that its AI research lab stole trade secrets. OpenAI denies wrongdoing.
