OpenAI’s entry into the world of consumer devices is expected to begin with the release of a wearable smart speaker that doesn’t have a screen, according to a Bloomberg report published Tuesday. The device bills itself as “a new type of computer for the AI era,” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported, adding that it would “serve as an AI companion to the image of a human who lives in the house.”
The device, which Gurman wrote is still in development, is expected to work much like today’s smart speakers: answer questions, play media, control smart home devices, respond to messages, and use capabilities powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
But OpenAI’s device is expected to go a step further into homes by offering a “personality” that would establish a human connection with users. It will include “mechanical elements that can move on their own, creating the feeling that it is alive,” Bloomberg reported.
The product leak comes days after Apple sued OpenAI, accusing the company of stealing its trade secrets. Apple claimed it “discovered a pattern of theft of Apple trade secrets by OpenAI employees who previously worked at Apple.” Apple also called the discovered cases the “tip of the iceberg.”
However, OpenAI believes its new product “departs significantly” from any Apple device currently on the market and that its new device is “unlikely” to violate Apple’s trade secrets, according to anonymous sources described as familiar with OpenAI’s plans.
There has been a lot of speculation lately about OpenAI’s hardware ambitions. The company has been linked to a possible release of AI earbuds later this year or early 2027 and is also reportedly working on a smartphone in partnership with component makers MediaTek, Qualcomm and Luxshare.
OpenAI’s hardware ambitions include a high-profile partnership with former Apple designer Jony Ive. A recent rumor suggested that the lineup could include an ear-worn device and that OpenAI could have up to five different devices ready by the end of 2028.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, filed a lawsuit in April 2025 against OpenAI, alleging that it had violated Ziff Davis’ copyrights in the training and operation of its AI systems.)
