OpenAI's $300+ smart speaker uses moving parts to feel alive

OpenAI is developing a high-end smart speaker that could cost $300 to $400, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Designed with LoveFrom, the studio of former Apple design chief Jony Ive, the device is shaped like a doughnut roughly the size of a hockey puck. It will reportedly feature moving parts and lights that activate during responses to make the gadget seem "more alive than today's stationary speaker products." Battery-powered and built with premium materials, the speaker will work similarly to ChatGPT's voice mode but with more advanced models for more natural, humanlike interactivity. It will also control smart home devices, positioning itself as a potential smartphone replacement—a far more ambitious goal than typical weather-checking smart speakers.

The reported price puts it well above mainstream rivals: Amazon's Echo Show 15 with Alexa+ costs $300, and the Echo Studio $220. OpenAI is betting that ChatGPT's massive user base will pay a premium for dedicated hardware, though the most advanced features will also require a subscription. The company's only other gadget so far is the $230 Codex Micro keyboard. Bloomberg says OpenAI began an internal probe after Apple sued the startup for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to hardware development; sources say the speaker doesn't use Apple IP. The device is expected to be revealed later this year and launched in 2027, unless legal issues interfere. Given OpenAI's billions in annual losses, this move seeks new revenue, but it enters a smart speaker market that has struggled with profitability.