OpenAI’s first AI hardware project with former Apple design chief Jony Ive is reportedly taking shape as a portable, screen-free smart speaker. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the device is battery-powered, roughly hockey-puck sized, and shaped like a doughnut. It is expected to debut in 2027 with a price above $300, and will reportedly feature a distinctive design with moving components — some of which may shift automatically to signal that the device is listening, responding, or engaging with a user. Gurman also says it will include lights, a camera system, and additional sensors.
Sources cited by Gurman describe the device as easy to move around the house with one hand, drawing a loose comparison to Amazon’s discontinued Tap speaker. Functionally, it is said to resemble ChatGPT’s voice mode on smartphone apps, but with more advanced models designed to make interactions feel more natural and humanlike. Despite Ive’s Apple legacy — and the ongoing lawsuit surrounding the project — Gurman reports that the product will not look or feel like something made by Apple.
The speaker-like personal assistant may be only the beginning of OpenAI’s hardware ambitions, with Gurman describing it as a potential first entry in a broader “family of devices.” Given the expected 2027 launch window, there is likely plenty more to learn before the product reaches consumers.
