OpenAI is developing a new hardware device in partnership with legendary Apple designer Jony Ive. According to reporting, the device is roughly hockey puck-sized, doughnut-shaped, battery-powered, and functions as a smart speaker without a display. The product is expected to launch in 2027 at a premium price point and represents OpenAI's expansion beyond software into consumer hardware.

This device would position OpenAI to compete directly with smartphone assistants and smart home ecosystems. The focus on portability and battery power suggests OpenAI envisions the device as a personal AI companion that users carry with them, rather than a fixed home installation like traditional smart speakers.

What This Means for Your Business

This signals OpenAI's ambitions to own the end-user relationship through hardware, not just software. For businesses, this represents a potential new channel to deploy AI capabilities to customers and employees. Consider how a portable OpenAI device might integrate with your existing customer touchpoints or employee workflows—this is likely to evolve significantly before launch, so monitoring Jony Ive's involvement and Apple's possible partnership role is worthwhile.