OpenAI May Be Building a Secret AI Device
Whatever it is, it’s designed to complement your existing ecosystem, not replace anything.
The capabilities of AI have evolved quickly. It started with chatbots that struggled to string together accurate paragraphs. Now, AI systems can understand and generate speech, process images, and even interact with the real world through sensors allowing for richer, more natural human-AI engagement.
In an effort to bring this intelligence into the real world, companies have experimented with standalone AI devices. Devices like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1 aimed to make AI tangible, but they ultimately fell short. Without deep integration with other services, their usefulness was limited.
OpenAI, however, seems to be taking a new approach.
Leaked details from an internal staff call reveal that CEO Sam Altman and renowned designer Jony Ive are working on a new kind of AI hardware. It’s not a phone. Not glasses. Not even something you wear. But it could redefine how we interact with intelligent systems.
The problem is, we're not exactly sure what it is yet. Details are still vague, but the device is said to be pocket-sized, screen-free, and highly aware of its surroundings. Internally, it’s being referred to as a “third core” device—meant to live alongside your iPhone and laptop. Altman even predicted it could become the fastest product to hit 100 million users. That ambition lines up with OpenAI’s $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive’s hardware firm, Io.
For those unaware, Ive is the hand behind the iPhone, iMac, and many of Apple’s iconic product designs. This partnership with OpenAI will see him design this new mystery product, possibly bringing design credibility that AI hardware has sorely lacked. Earlier devices stumbled on poor battery life, hardware flaws, and a lack of compelling use cases—pitfalls Ive and Altman seem keen to avoid.
Their reported goal is to create 100 million AI “companions”, devices that are always available but largely invisible. Just seamless, context-aware support operating quietly in the background.
Of course, building something this ambitious won’t come cheap. OpenAI recently raised $40 billion, valuing the company at $300 billion. But with lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny mounting, some uncertainty remains around how that capital will be deployed.
Still, with deep pockets, top-tier design talent, and no public investors to please, OpenAI seems ready to bet big on ambient, pocketable AI and based on reports, the first device in this “family” should be out by late 2026.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
