OpenAI's First Hardware Device Is a Hockey-Puck-Sized AI Speaker Costing Over $300
A new report describes a doughnut-shaped, battery-powered gadget designed by Jony Ive that moves and lights up when it responds to you.
Key points
- OpenAI is developing a hockey-puck-sized AI speaker designed by former Apple designer Jony Ive, according to a Bloomberg report.
- The device is expected to launch in 2027 at a price above $300.
- It will have moving parts, a camera, sensors, and lights to signal when it is listening or responding.
- OpenAI plans this as the first in a broader family of AI hardware products.
OpenAI, the company behind the ChatGPT AI assistant, is building its first physical device: a small, doughnut-shaped speaker about the size of a hockey puck that you can carry from room to room with one hand. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who first detailed the device, describes it as "essentially a smart speaker without a display" running on battery power.
Think of it like an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker, but built around a much more conversational AI. It is designed to respond to your voice the same way ChatGPT's voice mode does on phones today, only with more capable software tuned for natural back-and-forth conversation.
What makes it different from a regular smart speaker?
The design goes well beyond a plain cylinder or puck. Gurman's sources say the gadget will include moving parts that shift on their own to show you when it is active, plus lights, a camera system, and additional sensors. The point is to make it feel less like talking to a box and more like interacting with something that acknowledges you.
The device is being built with Jony Ive, the designer who shaped the look of the iPhone and iMac during his long tenure at Apple. Despite that partnership, Gurman says the product will look nothing like an Apple device. OpenAI and Apple are currently involved in a lawsuit, though neither company has commented publicly on how that affects the hardware work.
What will it cost, and when can you buy it?
The device is expected to go on sale in 2027 at a price above $300. No exact figure has been confirmed.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Shape | Doughnut, roughly hockey-puck sized |
| Power | Battery (portable) |
| Launch year | 2027 |
| Starting price | Over $300 |
| Key feature | Moving parts, camera, sensors, lights |
| Designed by | Jony Ive (former Apple) |
For context, Amazon's Echo Show 10, which also has a motorised element, sells for around $250. At $300-plus, OpenAI is pitching this toward the premium end of the home-device market.
Should you wait before getting excited?
2027 is still more than a year away, and hardware products change a lot before they ship. OpenAI has described this as potentially the first in a whole family of devices, which means further announcements are likely before anything reaches store shelves. Treat the current details as a rough sketch, not a finished product.
For ordinary users, the practical question is whether better voice AI justifies the price over simply using the ChatGPT app already on your phone. That answer will depend entirely on how the final software performs.
Common questions
Do I need a ChatGPT subscription to use it?
OpenAI has not said. Most of its advanced features currently sit behind a paid plan, so a subscription requirement seems plausible, but nothing is confirmed.
Will it work without Wi-Fi?
The device is battery-powered and portable, but OpenAI has not confirmed whether it needs a constant internet connection to function.
