OpenAI's ChatGPT Speaker Coming 2027: First Hardware

OpenAI's first piece of hardware won't have a screen. According to a Bloomberg report, the company is building a smart speaker that runs on GPT-Live, the upgraded voice model OpenAI announced last week, and plans to release it in 2027. A camera and other sensors will let the device read its surroundings, and a rechargeable battery means it won't be tied to a wall outlet.

The timing is awkward. Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI just days before this report surfaced, accusing the company of stealing hardware secrets. OpenAI responded Tuesday, saying it is "not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit."

This isn't OpenAI's first flirtation with a physical product. The Information reported back in February on a similar concept, also camera-equipped, designed to recognize people and objects nearby. Bloomberg's sources say the speaker is just one piece of a larger hardware push, with roughly five devices reportedly in the pipeline. Details on what the other four might be remain scarce, but the speaker gives the clearest picture yet of how OpenAI wants ChatGPT to move off the screen and into a physical object sitting on a shelf or counter.