OpenAI teases a Codex hardware device with Work Louder
OpenAI says a Codex-related device is coming July 15 through a collaboration with macro pad maker Work Louder.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
OpenAI is preparing to introduce a hardware product tied to Codex, its AI coding tool, on July 15, according to a teaser posted by OpenAI’s developer account on X. The move points to a physical shortcut device for developers, rather than the separate AI hardware project OpenAI is building with former Apple designer Jony Ive.
The teaser video shows a square device with multiple buttons, The Verge reported. OpenAI’s post said, “Your favorite Codex shortcuts are getting an upgrade,” linking the device directly to Codex.
OpenAI has not said what the product is called, how much it will cost, or what software features it will support. Work Louder, the company named in the teaser as OpenAI’s partner, also has not shared further details, according to The Verge.
A macro pad partnership
Work Louder sells mechanical keyboards and macro pads with programmable controls, including keys, dials and switches, The Verge reported. Those devices are typically used to trigger shortcuts or custom commands in creative and productivity apps.
The Verge noted that the shape shown in OpenAI’s teaser resembles Work Louder’s Creator Micro 2. Work Louder describes that product as a compact macro pad with 13 mechanical switches, a joystick and a touch sensor.
On Work Louder’s existing devices, users can map controls to actions in different applications, The Verge reported, citing Photoshop as an example. That makes the Codex teaser look like a hardware controller meant to speed up common coding tasks, although OpenAI has not confirmed the device’s functions.
Separate from the Jony Ive project
The Verge reported that the Codex device is not the same as OpenAI’s broader AI hardware effort with Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief. That project has been described separately as an AI-powered device, but the new teaser names Work Louder and focuses on Codex shortcuts.
The collaboration also follows a previous Work Louder partnership with Figma. The Verge reported in 2023 that Figma worked with Work Louder on a macro pad that shipped with preset shortcuts for its design software.
OpenAI’s July 15 date leaves a short wait for specifics. Until then, the teaser establishes only the basics: the product is Codex-related, it involves Work Louder, and it appears to be a button-heavy device built around shortcuts.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.