OpenAI: First AI gadget allegedly a smart speaker for $200-$300
OpenAI's first AI hardware will be a smart speaker with a camera that observes users and provides proactive support, according to a report.
Former Apple designer Jony Ive is significantly involved in the development of OpenAI's AI hardware.
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More than 200 employees at OpenAI are working on a range of AI devices, including a smart speaker and possibly smart glasses and a "smart lamp," reports tech magazine The Information, citing a person familiar with the plans.
The smart speaker is said to be the first AI hardware OpenAI will bring to market, costing between $200 and $300. The device is said to have a camera that captures information about users and their surroundings. During a presentation last summer, executives explained that it could observe users via video and prompt them to take actions that help them achieve their goals. It is also said to enable purchases via facial recognition, similar to Apple's Face ID.
There is no new information about a possible market launch. However, according to court documents, OpenAI's first AI hardware will appear at the earliest in early 2027.
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Other AI devices such as smart glasses are not expected to go into mass production until 2028, according to a person involved in their development, writes The Information. While the team responsible for AI hardware has developed prototypes, for example for a smart lamp, it is unclear whether they will become marketable products. Overall, the device portfolio is still in an early phase, which is why both design and schedule could continue to shift.
Strong Competition and Internal Tensions
Meanwhile, competitive pressure is likely to grow. Apple is working on several AI wearables, including smart glasses that are reportedly set to be released in 2027. Market leader Meta already offers a broad portfolio of AI glasses and plans to launch a second generation of the Meta Ray-Ban Display and a smartwatch with an integrated AI assistant later this year, according to The Information. Google also intends to present its first AI glasses in 2026.
OpenAI's AI devices are being developed by a hardware team that emerged from the acquisition of the start-up io, co-founded by Jony Ive. Ive's role at OpenAI is considered complex: While product design remains with his independent studio LoveFrom, the technical implementation of hardware and software is the responsibility of OpenAI's internal device team, the report states. This division of tasks reportedly causes tension, as LoveFrom is slow to adapt designs and provides little insight into its own design process.
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