OpenAI's $300+ AI Speaker Revealed, But Apple's Lawsuit Could Delay It

Back in July, reports revealed that the secret device OpenAI had been working on was an AI speaker. Since then, new details have emerged about its design, capabilities, and pricing.

According to a recent report from Bloomberg, this will be OpenAI’s first hardware product. It’s designed to be an “AI-first computer” that users can carry from room to room throughout the day.

New details about OpenAI's hardware device

The report describes the device as being “shaped like a doughnut that’s roughly the size of a hockey puck.” The idea is to make it easy to carry around the home with one hand.

It will reportedly include moving components that help signal when it’s responding and interacting with the user, with the goal of making it feel “more alive than today’s stationary speaker products.” Lights will indicate when it’s listening, while a built-in camera system and sensors will perceive the surrounding environment and feed visual information into the AI.

OpenAI expects users to rely on the device throughout the day. It is said to function similarly to ChatGPT’s Voice Mode on smartphones, but with more advanced AI models designed to make conversations feel more natural and human-like.

The device is also expected to learn more about its user over time, allowing it to personalise conversations and behave more like a persistent AI companion.

Bloomberg reports that OpenAI plans to price the device between $300 and $400, making it more expensive than most smart speakers but cheaper than a standard iPhone.

Apple’s lawsuit could complicate its launch

OpenAI’s hardware ambitions may face another challenge before the device even reaches consumers.