OpenAI's First Hardware Device Leaks as It Faces a Trade Secrets Lawsuit From Apple

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, the chatbot that took the world by storm in 2022, is now reportedly entering the hardware business. A new report from Bloomberg reveals that the AI company is developing a screenless smart speaker designed to become the first “computer for the AI era.”

But this isn’t entirely surprising. Rumors that OpenAI was working on its own hardware have been circulating for months. What’s new is that reports have finally revealed what the company’s first device could actually be.

The timing of the report is also interesting. It comes just days after OpenAI found itself in a legal battle with Apple, with the iPhone maker accusing the AI company of stealing trade secrets to accelerate its hardware ambitions. Apple claims OpenAI poached more than 400 employees and encouraged job candidates to bring “actual parts” from Apple to interviews.

OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing, though. The company argues that its device “veers significantly from anything Apple has on the market today” and is “unlikely” to violate Apple’s trade secrets. It also says Apple’s HomePod isn’t comparable to what it’s building, noting that its new speaker’s audio system and other hardware “differ substantially from Apple’s designs.”

Apple vs OpenAI Dispute: 7 Trade Secrets Lawsuit Claims

Apple has sued OpenAI, io Products, and two former employees, alleging a coordinated scheme to steal hardware trade secrets as OpenAI builds its own consumer devices.

TechloyOgbonda Chivumnovu

What is OpenAI’s new AI device?

According to Bloomberg, the device is a portable smart speaker with no screen. Instead of relying on a display, it uses cameras and sensors to understand its surroundings while running a more advanced version of ChatGPT’s voice mode, GPT-Live, allowing it to listen and respond naturally in real time.