OpenAI’s first device may be a portable ChatGPT speaker
Bloomberg reports OpenAI is preparing a screenless smart speaker with cameras, sensors and a battery for talking with ChatGPT.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
OpenAI may announce a ChatGPT-powered smart speaker this year, according to Bloomberg reporting cited by The Verge. The device would be OpenAI’s first hardware product, making it a notable step for a company best known for software and AI models.
Bloomberg reported that the product is expected to be a screenless speaker built around voice interaction with ChatGPT. The Verge reported that the device would use a camera and other sensors to read or “understand” the space around it, rather than relying on a display.
The device would also include a rechargeable battery, Bloomberg reported, allowing users to move it around instead of keeping it fixed in one place. That design would make it closer to a portable AI companion than a conventional smart speaker that stays plugged in on a counter or shelf.
The Verge reported that Bloomberg’s account describes the speaker as offering smart home control, though further details on supported systems or functions were not provided. No price, final name or specific launch date was reported in the available account.
The reported hardware plans come days after Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, according to The Verge. Apple accused OpenAI of stealing hardware secrets, The Verge reported.
OpenAI responded Tuesday by saying it was “not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit,” according to The Verge. The company’s statement did not, in the account cited by The Verge, give additional details about the reported speaker.
If Bloomberg’s report is borne out, the product would put ChatGPT into a dedicated consumer device rather than leaving it mainly inside apps, browsers and existing operating systems. The reported use of cameras and sensors also suggests OpenAI is exploring hardware that can respond to its surroundings, though Bloomberg’s report as cited by The Verge did not describe the full technical design.
The report leaves several major questions unresolved. Bloomberg’s account, as reported by The Verge, does not say when the device would ship, where it would be sold or how OpenAI would address privacy questions tied to microphones, cameras and environmental sensors in the home.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.