New Details Emerge on OpenAI’s First Smart Speaker

Last month, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the first hardware product ChatGPT developer OpenAI is working on is a battery-powered smart speaker with a camera. Yesterday, Gurman followed up with another report that includes additional details about the device.

According to Gurman’s sources, OpenAI’s first smart speaker could cost more than $300, which would make it competitive with Apple’s $349 HomePod, though the latter isn’t battery-powered. However, Gurman described a much smaller form factor with a shape “like a doughnut that’s roughly the size of a hockey puck.”

While it has been previously reported that the device would include cameras and other sensors to understand its surroundings, Gurman added that “the circle-shaped device will include parts that move on their own,” to indicate when it’s active. “The goal is to make the object feel more alive than today’s stationary speaker products,” the reporter added.

In terms of functionality, OpenAI’s first smart speaker should provide the same experience as ChatGPT’s current voice, though it reportedly uses “more advanced models for humanlike interactivity.” According to Gurman, it’s “designed to learn more about a user over time, letting it tailor conversations and act more like a real person.”

OpenAI is developing its first smart speaker with the help of Jony Ive, Apple’s former Chief Design Officer, who later launched his own design startup after leaving the company. OpenAI acquired Ive’s company for $6.4 billion last year, and after the ChatGPT maker hired several top Apple engineers in recent months, the latter sued OpenAI for alleged trade secret theft. It remains to be seen if the lawsuit will affect the development of OpenAI’s first product, which according to Gurman could be released as soon as 2027.