Topline
OpenAI is developing its first consumer device ever, according to Bloomberg, competing with Amazon, Apple and Google with a smart speaker that will house an AI companion capable of controlling home appliances and communicating with its owners.
The device is planned for a 2027 release.
Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
The device will play media, answer questions and respond to messages with the functionality of OpenAI’s flagship model, ChatGPT, according to Bloomberg, which cited unnamed people familiar with the matter.
The companion will become increasingly personalized as it learns more about its owner, the people told Bloomberg, noting OpenAI has envisioned the device as being able to anticipate needs and serve as an expert on its owner—the latter of which it will do by drawing on personal information such as emails.
The device will feature mechanical elements that can move autonomously, “creating a sense that it is alive and not just an object responding to commands,” Bloomberg reported.
A camera and sensors will reportedly be built into the device, which will use an advanced version of ChatGPT Voice Mode to process information and adapt more naturally throughout a conversation.
The device can be plugged into a single room or be brought to other parts of a home with the rechargeable battery it will include, according to Bloomberg.
What To Watch For
OpenAI’s companion is slated for release in 2027, according to Bloomberg, which noted that timeline could be subject to change as Apple sues OpenAI for trade secret theft, alleging the company’s hardware division illegally obtained manufacturing designs and prototypes.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.