OpenAI's first consumer device resembles a donut and is priced at over $300
Informed sources reveal that OpenAI's first consumer-facing hardware device resembles a donut, has no display screen, and is equipped with movable parts, designed to give it distinct personality traits. The product is positioned as an AI-centric smart speaker, about the size of a hockey puck, making it easy to carry with one hand. It is expected to be priced over $300 and is planned for release in 2027, aiming to carve out a new niche and challenge the market dominance of Amazon and Google
According to informed sources, OpenAI's highly anticipated new device will feature a unique shape and movable parts, giving it a more distinct personality, with a price tag potentially exceeding $300.
Sources who requested anonymity due to the confidentiality of the related work stated that the product is essentially a smart speaker without a display, shaped like a donut and roughly the size of a hockey puck. The design concept aims to allow users to hold the device in one hand and move around the house.
OpenAI hopes to carve out new territory with this product, scheduled for release in 2027. The sources indicated that the device will be positioned as a computer centered around artificial intelligence (AI) that can assist users in completing various tasks. The design is also expected to help it stand out among existing smart speakers, a category currently dominated by Amazon and Alphabet Inc.'s Google.
This new hardware also provides OpenAI with an opportunity to prove that it has not simply copied Apple's designs. The two companies are currently engaged in legal battles over whether OpenAI has stolen Apple's intellectual property, which OpenAI denies.
A representative from OpenAI, based in San Francisco, declined to comment on the product plans.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will attend the 2024 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference.
OpenAI ultimately plans to launch a series of devices, with this smart speaker seen as a prudent entry point into the device market. Other types of always-on AI devices, such as smart glasses, have already raised privacy concerns
