OpenAI Developing Smart Speaker, Smart Glasses, and Smart Lamp for 2027 Launch
According to the Economic Desk of Webangah News Agency, OpenAI is making significant internal efforts to develop a range of AI-powered devices, including smart glasses, a smart speaker, and a smart lamp.
The technology publication The Information reports that the artificial intelligence firm has assigned a team of over 200 employees to this ambitious hardware project.
The first item expected to reach consumers is a smart speaker integrated with a camera. This feature is intended to allow the device to better absorb information about its immediate environment and the users nearby. Sources familiar with the development indicate the camera will be capable of identifying objects on nearby surfaces and monitoring conversations occurring in the vicinity of the speaker.
Furthermore, the device is expected to incorporate a facial recognition feature similar to Apple’s Face ID, which would enable users to authenticate purchases made through the system.
This new OpenAI smart speaker is projected to be priced between $200 and $300 upon its anticipated debut in early 2027.
Other rumored hardware is further out; reports suggest the company’s AI-equipped smart glasses—a sector currently dominated by Meta—will not be released until 2028. While preliminary prototypes for a smart lamp exist, its market viability remains uncertain.
The groundwork for this hardware push was established last year when OpenAI acquired the design startup io Products, founded by Jony Ive, the former chief design officer at Apple, in a transaction valued at approximately $6.5 billion. Ive, widely credited for shaping Apple’s aesthetic identity since joining in the 1990s, is leading the development of these hardware products for OpenAI.
Since initiating this collaboration, the project has faced setbacks related to technical hurdles, privacy concerns, and the logistical challenges associated with securing the necessary computational power for mass-produced AI devices.
Regardless of the technological giants behind the initiative, the upcoming speaker and other potential hardware may still encounter consumer reluctance, stemming from general skepticism toward devices that perpetually monitor and listen to their users.
