OpenAI gears up for a portable, screenless AI device aimed at ambient intelligence

OpenAI is set to launch a compact, battery-powered AI-first computer designed for voice interaction and ambient assistance, marking a significant shift beyond traditional software into dedicated consumer hardware.

OpenAI is preparing to enter the consumer hardware market as early as next year with a screenless device that would bring its chatbot technology out of phones and into a dedicated product, according to Bloomberg. The company has not publicly detailed the device, but people familiar with the project told Bloomberg that it is being positioned as an “AI-first computer” rather than a conventional smart speaker.

The reported design is unusually compact: roughly the size of an ice hockey puck, with a rounded body and a metal finish. Bloomberg said the device is expected to cost about $300 and is being developed with design input from Jony Ive’s LoveFrom studio, underscoring OpenAI’s effort to give the product a premium look and feel. The product is also said to include a battery, which would make it portable rather than tied to a power outlet.

OpenAI has been moving steadily beyond software. At a 2025 event, chief executive Sam Altman said the company had completed its first working hardware prototype, describing it as part of a broader push to pair advanced AI models with purpose-built devices. Separately, OpenAI unveiled its first custom inference chip with Broadcom in June, a sign that it is building more of the infrastructure around its models in-house.

The proposed hardware would rely on voice interaction and use cameras and sensors to understand its surroundings, according to Bloomberg. Lights would indicate when the device is listening or speaking. That approach suggests OpenAI is aiming for ambient intelligence: a system that can assist users throughout the day without the distraction of a screen.