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OpenAI is reportedly building a screen-free AI speaker designed as a humanlike home companion. The device will use ChatGPT to answer questions, control smart appliances and learn user habits. Developed with Jony Ive’s LoveFrom team, the product is expected to enter the market in 2027.

OpenAI is preparing to enter the hardware business with a screen-free smart speaker designed to function as a humanlike AI companion inside the home, Bloomberg has reported. The device, still under development, is being described internally as a new type of home computer for the AI era rather than a conventional smart speaker. It will control smart home appliances, play media, answer questions and respond to messages, drawing on the full range of capabilities offered by ChatGPT.

Device designed around personality, not utility

The report suggests that OpenAI believes the product's defining feature will be its personality and its ability to connect with users on a humanlike level, rather than its functionality alone. The speaker is built to be moved easily around the house and runs on a rechargeable battery, allowing use away from a wall outlet. It reportedly includes mechanical elements capable of moving on their own, a design choice meant to create the impression that the device is alive rather than simply responding to commands.

The device is expected to become more personalised and proactive the longer it is used, learning its owner's routines and preferences over time. OpenAI envisions it anticipating needs and surfacing information without being prompted, effectively becoming an expert on its user. It will also draw on personal information, including emails, to build that understanding.