OpenAI is reportedly making its first move into hardware with a mobile smart speaker that integrates AI capabilities, syncing with ChatGPT and offering home-based AI services. Bloomberg reported Tuesday that the device—still in development—is designed to be screen-free and is described internally as a "humanlike AI companion that lives in the home."

For some time, OpenAI has hinted at launching a hardware product, with rumors even suggesting it might develop its own phone, potentially competing with Apple. This newly surfaced device, however, seems quite different from conventional smart speakers. Sources told Bloomberg that the gadget is said to have a "personality" and can proactively learn about its owner over time, delivering increasingly personalized service. It would have access to a user's digital life, drawing from emails and other data, according to the sources. The device is also oddly described as involving "mechanical elements that can move on their own," with Bloomberg noting it is designed to "feel like a companion and become a physical manifestation of OpenAI's ChatGPT."

EMBED_PLACEHOLDER_0

Development of the device has been assisted by many former Apple engineers who played key roles in creating products like the iPhone and Mac, Bloomberg writes. While OpenAI may be pushing into new hardware territory, the company is currently entangled in hardware-related legal troubles. Apple sued OpenAI last week, accusing the AI firm of stealing its trade secrets. Apple further claimed that these allegations are merely "the tip of the iceberg," suggesting more misconduct could emerge during legal discovery. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing.

Citing anonymous sources familiar with OpenAI's plans, Bloomberg reports that the company believes its new product "veers significantly from anything Apple has on the market today" and considers it "unlikely that it violates trade secrets" belonging to Apple. This push comes as the tech industry grows increasingly excited about consumer AI hardware. Hark, an AI lab founded by Brett Adcock, raised an oversubscribed $700 million Series A in May at a $6 billion valuation to develop what it calls "personal intelligence"—proprietary AI models paired with custom hardware designed as a "universal interface between humans and machines." The company has yet to detail its device's form factor, highlighting how much capital is chasing this category even before products ship.