OpenAI's screenless AI speaker aims to be a proactive home companion with GPT-Live

OpenAI is reportedly building its first consumer hardware device: a screenless, portable AI speaker designed to feel more like a companion than a conventional smart assistant. According to Bloomberg, the speaker will include cameras, sensors, and an advanced version of ChatGPT's voice technology called GPT-Live, enabling it to understand its surroundings and hold natural, proactive conversations. Unlike typical voice assistants that wait for commands, this device aims to anticipate user needs—adjusting smart home settings, playing music, and even responding to messages without being asked. Its rechargeable battery allows it to be carried room-to-room, and moving mechanical parts are intended to give it a lifelike, expressive personality.

The project marks OpenAI's most significant hardware push since acquiring io, Jony Ive's AI devices startup, for $6.4 billion. Ive's design studio LoveFrom and several former Apple engineers are involved in development. However, the timeline is clouded by a lawsuit from Apple, which alleges OpenAI improperly obtained trade secrets through ex-Apple employees. OpenAI denies the claims, insisting its speaker differs fundamentally from Apple's products. Bloomberg reports the company hopes to unveil the device later this year and launch it in 2027, but legal and competitive pressures—including Apple's own AI speaker and startups like Hark—could disrupt those plans.