OpenAI's AI smart speaker could cost $300 to $400, Bloomberg reports

New details continue to emerge about OpenAI’s long-rumored hardware device, previously described as an AI-fueled smart speaker meant to be the “physical manifestation” of ChatGPT. According to a Bloomberg report, the device will be “donut-shaped,” a design meant to let users carry it around their home and set it down in different spots, such as a bedside table or a kitchen counter.

Sources told Bloomberg the device will be built from “high-quality metal,” carry a “premium look,” and include distinct “moving parts” — a detail Bloomberg’s sources did not explain. The device could also come at a premium price: it may sell for $300 to $400 per unit, notably higher than most of Amazon’s smart home speakers, which range from $40 at the low end to $240 at the high end.

The device is being developed in partnership with LoveFrom, the design studio founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, and it will likely be released at some point in 2027.

Putting a ChatGPT-branded device in the home would extend OpenAI’s push to weave its assistant deeper into users’ daily lives. But the category is a difficult one: smart speakers have historically struggled to turn a profit, and a higher price point could make it harder for OpenAI’s device to gain traction. OpenAI’s push into hardware has also run into legal trouble — the company is being sued by Apple, described as the current king of hardware, over accusations that it stole trade secrets. OpenAI has denied wrongdoing.

Why it matters

A pricey, unproven hardware category is a real risk for OpenAI as it tries to extend ChatGPT beyond the browser and into physical spaces — and the Apple lawsuit adds legal uncertainty to that expansion just as the product’s price and timeline start to take shape.