OpenAI's first hardware device is reportedly a screenless speaker that can move

According to Bloomberg, OpenAI is developing its first hardware device — a screenless, mobile smart speaker. Internally described as a 'human-like AI companion that lives in the home,' it is said to have a 'personality' like a human and deeply integrate with the user's digital life, such as reading emails. It can also actively learn user habits to provide increasingly personalized services.

The device features independently moving mechanical elements, aiming to be the physical embodiment of ChatGPT. Unlike traditional smart speakers, it emphasizes companionship and proactivity rather than merely passive responses to commands. This design clearly avoids screen dependency, perhaps indicating OpenAI's intention to differentiate from mainstream devices like phones and tablets.

Sources say the device is being developed with the involvement of several former Apple engineers who worked on products like the iPhone and Mac. Internally, OpenAI believes the product is 'significantly different from any current Apple product on the market,' and thus unlikely to infringe Apple's trade secrets.

OpenAI has long harbored ambitions to launch hardware, with earlier rumors of self-developed phones. Choosing a speaker form factor may be to better integrate into home environments and avoid direct competition with Apple in the phone market. However, Apple's lawsuit precisely targets trade secrets, involving personnel movement and technological similarities, posing a direct legal risk to OpenAI's hardware ambitions.

Last week, Apple sued OpenAI, accusing it of stealing trade secrets and calling this just 'the tip of the iceberg,' with more misconduct to be revealed in subsequent discovery. OpenAI denies all allegations, stating the product is unrelated to Apple's technology. Nonetheless, the lawsuit could disrupt development progress and even force design changes.

In the broader AI hardware space, capital enthusiasm is high. Hark, founded by Brett Adcock, raised $700 million in Series A funding this May, valuing it at $6 billion, aiming to build 'personal intelligence' — a combination of proprietary AI models and custom hardware to become a universal interface between humans and machines. This reflects enormous market expectations for AI companion devices, with massive investment pouring in even before specific products have launched.

Currently, all information about OpenAI's hardware comes from anonymous sources, exclusively reported by Bloomberg and republished by TechCrunch. OpenAI has not officially confirmed it, and product details (such as exact functions and specific mechanical movements) remain rumors. The outcome of Apple's lawsuit will be a key variable: if the court grants Apple's injunction request, the product may need significant adjustments or even be abandoned.

Moreover, consumer acceptance of screenless AI companion devices has yet to be verified. Competitors like Hark are also in early stages, with technical implementation, privacy protection, and practicality as pending issues. Whether OpenAI's move can truly create a new category remains to be seen over time.