OpenAI is working on a new artificial intelligence device, which the company plans to release in 2027. According to Bloomberg sources, the novelty will have an unusual design, moving elements, and will cost more than $ 300.
According to the publication’s interlocutors, the device will actually be a smart speaker without a display. It will have the shape of a ring or doughnut, and in size it will resemble a hockey puck. This format should make it convenient to carry around the house with one hand.
It is expected that the novelty will be positioned as a computer created primarily for working with artificial intelligence, which will help users perform everyday tasks. The company expects that thanks to the unusual design, the device will differ from smart speakers, the market of which is currently mainly controlled by Amazon and Google.
The new product should also demonstrate that OpenAI is not copying Apple’s design decisions. The companies are currently embroiled in a legal battle: Apple accuses OpenAI of illegally using its intellectual property, but OpenAI denies this.
According to sources, the smart speaker will be the first product in OpenAI’s upcoming line of devices. The company decided to start with this format because other AI-enabled gadgets, such as smart glasses, raise more privacy concerns.
Users are expected to interact with the device throughout the day. It will work on the same principle as ChatGPT Voice Mode in the mobile application. Still, it will use more advanced models to make communication more similar to a conversation with a person.
In addition, the device will gradually learn the user’s habits to personalize responses and maintain a more natural dialogue.
According to Bloomberg, the novelty will have moving elements that will independently change position, demonstrating when the device is listening to or responding to the user. In this way, OpenAI wants to make interaction more natural than with current stationary smart speakers.
The device will also be equipped with speakers and microphones for voice control. It will be battery-powered, so it can be held in your hand or placed on a nightstand or kitchen counter.
OpenAI also plans to add light indicators that will show when the device is listening to the user. A camera and other sensors will analyze the environment and transmit visual information to artificial intelligence systems.
In the long term, the company wants to create its own direction of device production and eventually present a product that can replace modern smartphones.
The novelty is being developed together with the LoveFrom studio, founded by former Apple chief designer Jonathan Ive. Last year, OpenAI also acquired the device development startup he created. It was Ive who was responsible for the design of the iPhone, iPad, iPod and Apple Watch.
According to sources, the device will have a premium look. It will be made of expensive materials, including high-quality metal. OpenAI is considering a price of $300 to $400 per unit. That’s more expensive than most smart speakers, but cheaper than a standard iPhone.
The metal casing is one of the points of contention with Apple. The company claims that OpenAI asked one of its longtime suppliers to develop a metalworking technology similar to the one Apple uses.
In response, OpenAI called the allegations “overly vague and general.” It’s unclear whether the lawsuit is about the new ring-shaped device, another product, or a project that has already been canceled.
However, sources say Apple has never released a similar device. The company sells a line of HomePod speakers. Still, they don’t have a built-in battery, and it hasn’t yet introduced a home gadget focused entirely on artificial intelligence.