OpenAI's first device will be a "smart speaker." Will this create competition for Apple?

OpenAI’s anticipated entry into the consumer device market will begin with a screenless mobile “smart speaker,” which will become a new type of “AI-era home computer,” Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. The launch of this project is a critical step ahead of OpenAI’s IPO, but following a lawsuit filed by Apple, the company’s plans have already run into legal hurdles.

The product, which is currently in development, is designed to be a humanoid AI companion for the home, according to sources who spoke with the agency. According to them, the device will help control “smart” home appliances, play media content, answer questions, respond to messages, and utilize a wide range of features from OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The speaker is equipped with a camera and other sensors that help it understand its surroundings and the user’s context, as well as advanced AI models with capabilities that go beyond those of conventional “smart” speakers, Bloomberg sources note.

Although the new product looks like a speaker, OpenAI describes it internally as the first-of-its-kind computer designed specifically for AI, to help busy people become more productive.

The device’s technology is designed to become increasingly personalized and proactive as the gadget learns more about its owner over time, Bloomberg sources added. OpenAI expects the device to anticipate needs, provide information in advance, and act as an expert for the user, the sources added.

The goal is for the device to become the physical embodiment of OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot. However, the agency's sources note that plans may still change during development and legal proceedings.

An OpenAI spokesperson declined to comment to the news agency.

This gadget is a critically important next step for OpenAI, which is preparing for an initial public offering in the coming months. Such a move will intensify the company’s competition with giants like Apple, Amazon, and Google, though the project has already encountered some obstacles, Bloomberg notes.

Last week, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing it of stealing trade secrets to develop its own gadgets. However, according to the agency’s sources, OpenAI believes that the device is significantly different from anything currently on the Apple market, and it is unlikely that it infringes on the iPhone maker’s trade secrets.

To strengthen its hardware business, OpenAI spent $6.5 billion last year to acquire io Products—a startup co-founded by Apple design veteran Jony Ive. Ive’s studio, LoveFrom, is also helping OpenAI develop a new line of devices. Many former Apple designers and engineers who were responsible for creating the iPhone and Mac are involved in the project. Apple accused OpenAI’s chief hardware officer, io Products co-founder, and former head of iPhone design Tang Tan of orchestrating a campaign to obtain confidential information about Apple’s future products and engineering methods.

For its part, OpenAI stated that the company “has no interest in the trade secrets of other companies”: “While we take these allegations seriously, we are not aware of any evidence to support this complaint.”

OpenAI’s hardware division is working on about five different products, but plans to start with a gadget that resembles a speaker. The company aims to unveil the device this year and release it in 2027, although those plans may change depending on the outcome of legal proceedings. Apple is seeking a court injunction against OpenAI’s hardware, which could delay the device’s launch, Bloomberg notes.

According to Bloomberg, OpenAI plans to develop a mobile AI device capable of replacing a smartphone. The company is also exploring the wearable gadget market, including a pendant, and is showing interest in home robotics.

Apple, for its part, is developing its own line of AI-focused home devices, which is further intensifying the competition between the two companies, according to Bloomberg.

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