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 system, 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, but built around a far more conversational AI. It's designed to respond to your voice the 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. Gurman's sources say the gadget will include moving parts that shift on their own to show when it's active, plus a camera system and additional sensors. That combination is meant to make the device feel less like a box and more like something that actually acknowledges you're there.
Jony Ive, who shaped the look of the iPhone and iMac during his long tenure at Apple, is behind the design. Despite that history, Gurman says the product will look nothing like an Apple device. The two companies are currently involved in a lawsuit over trade secrets; we reported on 4 August that OpenAI pushed back against Apple's allegations with published messages and emails.
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 features | Moving parts, camera system, sensors, lights |
| Designed by | Jony Ive (former Apple) |
At over $300, OpenAI is pitching this toward the premium end of the home-device market. Whether that price buys a meaningfully better experience than the ChatGPT app already on your phone is the real question nobody can answer yet.
Should you wait before getting excited?
2027 is still more than a year away, and hardware products change substantially before they ship. On 29 July we reported that OpenAI president Greg Brockman confirmed hardware is coming but gave no release dates or product names. This Bloomberg report is the first concrete shape that hardware has taken. Treat the current details as a rough sketch, not a commitment.
The honest read here: the concept is interesting, the Ive pedigree guarantees it'll look good, and everything else is speculation until software details emerge. Watch the pricing tiers and whether a subscription is baked in.
Common questions
Do I need a ChatGPT subscription to use it?
OpenAI hasn't 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 hasn't confirmed whether it needs a constant internet connection to function.
