OpenAI Reportedly Developing Premium Smart Speaker With Built-In Camera
TL;DR: OpenAI is reportedly working on a smart speaker with a built-in camera, priced between $200 and $300 (~RM777 to ~RM1,166). The device may skip a wake word entirely and instead stay context-aware at all times, with a possible 2027 release window.
OpenAI’s long-rumoured move into hardware is beginning to take shape.
Following its acquisition of design firm LoveFrom, founded by former Jony Ive of Apple fame, insiders now claim the AI company has multiple physical products in development, and a smart speaker may be the first to launch.
A Premium Smart Speaker With a Camera
According to sources familiar with the matter, OpenAI is developing a high-end smart speaker priced around $200 to $300 (~RM777 to ~RM1,166). The device is said to feature a built-in camera, potentially enabling visual recognition and authentication features.
What’s more surprising is the reported lack of a traditional wake word. Instead of waiting for a command phrase, the speaker is allegedly designed to remain contextually aware of its surroundings at all times.
That approach could allow for more fluid interactions, but it also raises immediate privacy questions. An always-aware AI device with both microphone and camera functionality is likely to face scrutiny.
Authentication and Commerce Features
Sources suggest the device could include facial recognition authentication similar to Face ID, potentially enabling secure access or even purchase approvals directly through the speaker.
If accurate, that would position the device as more than a passive assistant. It could become a central AI hub for communication, smart home control, and transactions.
More Than One Device in the Pipeline
The speaker is reportedly just one of three hardware products currently in development.
Insiders claim OpenAI is also working on:
- A wearable, pin-style AI device
- Smart glasses
The smart speaker is believed to be furthest along, though it is not expected to reach market in 2026. Current projections point to a 2027 release. The smart glasses may follow in 2028, while the wearable pin has no confirmed launch window.
OpenAI’s Hardware Ambitions
A team of over 200 people is reportedly working across these hardware initiatives. If successful, this would mark OpenAI’s first major step beyond software and cloud-based AI services into consumer electronics.
The big question is positioning. A $300 smart speaker places it in premium territory, competing not just on price but on design, privacy, and AI capability.
For now, these remain rumours. But with Jony Ive involved and multiple product categories in play, OpenAI’s hardware ambitions are clearly becoming more concrete.
