• 2 min read
OpenAI’s device may just be a moving smart speaker
A Bloomberg report says OpenAI’s long-teased hardware could be a portable, screenless smart speaker with mechanical movement.
Image: Gizmodo
OpenAI’s long-hyped mystery gadget may be far less exotic than expected. According to an anonymously sourced report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the company’s upcoming hardware is essentially a smart speaker that moves.
That contrasts with a separate April claim from Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities, who described an “AI agent phone.” One of those reports could be wrong, both could describe different products, or OpenAI’s device could sit somewhere between the two categories.
Bloomberg’s description suggests something portable, battery-powered, and small enough to carry from room to room. It would reportedly be screenless, capable of controlling smart home devices, and powered by a chatbot. The stranger detail is that it will apparently include mechanical components that let it move in some way, making it seem “alive.”
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That idea overlaps with reported work inside Apple, where prototype home devices have reportedly included two Siri-powered smart speakers and a tabletop robot. Last week, Apple sued OpenAI for alleged misappropriation of trade secrets, claiming the company poached talent including mechanical engineer Tang Tan. OpenAI denied the accusation.
“We have no interest in other companies' trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”
The device is said to be the product of OpenAI’s work with former Apple designer Jony Ive and its $6.4 billion acquisition of Ive’s hardware design company io. Bloomberg’s source says the goal is a companion that becomes “increasingly personalized and proactive” as it learns more about its owner over time.
That is a high bar, especially after Sam Altman called it “the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.” If Bloomberg’s report is accurate, OpenAI’s big swing may arrive looking a lot like a smart speaker with some robotic flair.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via Gizmodo
