OpenAI is reportedly developing a screenless, portable smart speaker designed as an AI companion in the home.
The device is expected to be able to control smart home appliances, play music, answer questions, reply to messages, and offer a human-like experience via ChatGPT.
What sets this device apart is its ability to get to know its owner more deeply over time.
It will use information such as email, cameras, and various sensors to understand daily routines, anticipate user needs, and proactively make recommendations, making it more than just a typical smart speaker.
The device is also equipped with a rechargeable battery, allowing it to be carried from room to room. OpenAI describes it as a new home computer for the AI era, with support for GPT-Live technology, a new voice mode that can listen and speak simultaneously more naturally.
To realize this project, OpenAI spent US$6.5 billion to acquire io Products, a company founded with former Apple designer Jony Ive.
Design studio LoveFrom also helped develop the product, along with many former Apple engineers who worked on the iPhone and Mac.
At the same time, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the company used trade secrets to speed up the development of AI devices.
OpenAI, however, denied the allegations and insisted that the product it is developing is different from Apple's devices and does not infringe on any intellectual property.
According to reports, OpenAI aims to introduce the device in the near future before a commercial launch is expected around 2027.
In addition to AI speakers, the company is also exploring the development of wearable devices, home robots and mobile AI devices that could potentially be alternatives to smartphones in the future.
