OpenAI reportedly developing display-less smart speaker

AI company OpenAI is reportedly developing its first proprietary hardware device, a smart speaker designed without a display. According to Bloomberg, the device will be donut-shaped, roughly the size of a hockey puck, and constructed from high-quality metal. It is expected to be battery-powered and small enough for handheld use within the home.

The device will feature speaker grills, microphones, lights, and a camera system intended to analyze the user's environment and feed information into ChatGPT. The speaker is said to operate similarly to ChatGPT's voice mode on mobile apps, but with more advanced capabilities. Notably, it is rumored to incorporate moving parts to signal when it is responding, aiming to give the hardware "personality" and make it feel more interactive than existing stationary speakers.

Sources suggest OpenAI views this "AI-first computer" as the initial step in a product line that could eventually supersede the smartphone. This ambition enters a market where smart speakers have largely settled into roles focused on media playback and basic smart home control, with limited adoption for complex tasks.

The smart speaker market, while established, has not seen the widespread utility envisioned by early proponents. Global shipments remain a fraction of the smartphone market, which represents a trillion-dollar ecosystem for a vast array of daily activities. OpenAI's move aims to challenge this established order, positioning its hardware as a next-generation interface.