A "puck-sized donut" for $300: Bloomberg has learned details about OpenAI's new gadget

The AI company OpenAI plans to releasea "smart speaker"without a display in 2027. The device will feature a unique design with integrated moving parts, and its estimated retail price will exceed $300, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. The device will be about the size of a hockey puck, which will ensure excellent ergonomics and make it easy to move the gadget around the house, the agency’s sources say.

Bloomberg sources note that OpenAI will position its new product as an “AI computer” designed to optimize the performance of everyday tasks. They note that the unconventional design is expected to allow the product to successfully compete in the smart speaker segment, which is currently dominated by solutions from Amazon and Google. According to the agency’s sources, the gadget will “be shaped like a donut—roughly the size of a hockey puck.” The device will also incorporate self-moving parts, the sources say. This design is intended to visualize the gadget’s interaction with the user—and should make the interface more “lively” compared to traditional stationary counterparts.

The hardware also includes microphones and high-quality speakers, and the built-in battery ensures portability and the ability to use the device in a variety of scenarios—in the user’s hands, on a desk, or on a nightstand.

The device's sensor system uses indicator lights to display its operational status, while the built-in camera system and additional sensors enable artificial intelligence to analyze the surrounding environment based on visual data.

The product design is being developed in collaboration with LoveFrom, a studio founded by Jony Ive. Ive, whose hardware startup was acquired by OpenAI last year, is widely known as the industrial designer behind key Apple products, including the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

According to Bloomberg sources, the device is expected to be positioned in the premium segment: the body will be made of high-quality materials, including metal. The reported price range of $300–$400 exceeds the cost of standard smart speakers on the market but remains lower than the cost of a standard iPhone, the agency notes.

OpenAI anticipates that the device will become an integral part of users’ daily lives. Its functionality will be based on ChatGPT’s voice mode technologies, but it will incorporate more advanced language models to ensure natural, human-like interaction. Machine learning algorithms will allow the device to adapt to the user’s profile, making communication more personalized.

OpenAI representatives declined to comment to Bloomberg regarding their product strategy.

In the long term, the developer of ChatGPT is considering launching its own hardware division as a step toward creating devices that could serve as an alternative to smartphones. In July 2026, OpenAI also unveiled its first gadget—a keyboard for controlling AI agents. The Codex Micro was developed in partnership with Work Louder, a Canadian-Italian company that manufactures keyboards and other accessories. The device is already on sale for $230.

In July, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets and poaching key employees to develop its own consumer AI device. Most of the allegations involved former Apple employees who had joined OpenAI or were interviewed by the company. According to the lawsuit, more than 400 former Apple specialists are currently working at the AI company.

OpenAI described the allegations as “excessively vague and generalized.” According to Bloomberg sources, OpenAI’s internal investigation confirmed that the company did not use Apple’s trade secrets.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor