OpenAI's First AI Device May Be a Doughnut-Shaped Smart Speaker With Moving Parts [Report]

New details about OpenAI's first hardware device have emerged, revealing a doughnut-shaped smart speaker roughly the size of a hockey puck that will cost more than $300 when it launches in 2027. According to Bloomberg, the battery-powered product will feature parts that move on their own, giving it personality and making it feel more alive than stationary speakers from Amazon and Google.



Positioned as an AI-first computer, the speaker is designed to help users get things done and learn more about them over time, allowing it to tailor conversations and behave more like a real person. OpenAI has discussed pricing between $300 and $400 per unit. Designed in collaboration with Jony Ive's LoveFrom studio, it will use premium materials including high-quality metal. The speaker features speaker grills, microphones, a camera system with other sensors that perceive the surrounding environment and feed visual information into the AI, along with lights that indicate when it is listening. Its battery-powered design is intended to work in different positions, whether held in a user's hand or placed on a nightstand or kitchen counter. OpenAI declined to comment on its product plans.


The report comes as OpenAI remains locked in a legal battle with Apple over alleged confidential hardware information. Apple alleges OpenAI orchestrated a campaign to obtain confidential hardware information related to future products. Apple recently filed for a preliminary injunction that could complicate the speaker's release if granted. OpenAI denies the allegations, calling the lawsuit "careless, aggressive and oddly personal." In a motion to dismiss, the company said it is building "something entirely new and different from anything at Apple," while people familiar with the device said OpenAI conducted an internal investigation after Apple's lawsuit was filed and believes the speaker does not use or violate any Apple trade secrets.

Bloomberg says the smart speaker is intended to be the first in a broader family of OpenAI hardware products, with the company ultimately aiming to develop devices capable of replacing today's smartphones. OpenAI still plans to unveil the speaker later this year ahead of its planned 2027 launch. Meanwhile, Apple continues work on its own AI-powered smart home hub with a robotic limb designed to follow users and create more natural interactions.

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