OpenAI is secretly developing a family of AI-powered devices with Apple's former design chief Jony Ive, including a smart speaker, AR glasses, voice recorder, and wearable pin. The bombshell leak reveals manufacturing deals already in place and a 2026 launch timeline that could reshape the consumer AI landscape.
OpenAI just dropped the biggest hint yet about its hardware ambitions, and it's way more ambitious than anyone expected. The ChatGPT maker isn't just building one AI device with Jony Ive - it's planning an entire ecosystem of smart gadgets that could launch as early as late 2026.
The centerpiece device "resembles a smart speaker without a display," according to sources with direct knowledge speaking to The Information. But that's just the beginning. The leaked roadmap reveals OpenAI is also considering smart glasses, a digital voice recorder, and even a wearable pin - despite Ive's previous criticism of similar devices like the Humane AI Pin.
The manufacturing machine is already spinning up. OpenAI has locked in a contract with Luxshare, the same company that assembles iPhones and AirPods for Apple. They've also approached Goertek, another key Apple supplier responsible for AirPods, HomePods, and Apple Watches. It's a direct tap into the supply chain that built the world's most successful consumer electronics.
This represents a major expansion from what CEO Sam Altman described back in May as a "family of devices" starting with something "pocket-size, contextually aware, and screen-free." The smart speaker aligns with that vision, but the additional gadgets suggest OpenAI is thinking much bigger about the AI hardware opportunity.
The timing is fascinating. Altman previously ruled out glasses as the first device, but now they're back on the table for future releases. The inclusion of a wearable pin is particularly surprising given Ive's harsh words about existing AI pins. During development discussions, Ive reportedly "slammed the Humane AI Pin" according to previous reporting. Yet here they are, apparently reconsidering the form factor.
What's notably absent is the in-ear device that earlier reports suggested Altman and Ive were exploring. That could signal a shift in strategy or simply reflect the current snapshot of a fluid product roadmap.
