OpenAI’s New AI Speaker: Jony Ive’s Donut-Shaped Gadget Explained

OpenAI’s new AI speaker is turning into one of the most talked-about gadgets in tech right now: a donut-shaped, metal-bodied device with unexplained “moving parts,” reportedly co-designed with Jony Ive’s studio LoveFrom. Fresh reporting from Bloomberg, echoed by TechCrunch and the Los Angeles Times, has revealed new details about its price, shape, and timeline.

What We Know About OpenAI’s New AI Speaker So Far

According to Bloomberg’s sources, the device is round and flat, similar in footprint to a hockey puck or a donut, and is meant to be picked up and carried between rooms rather than left plugged into one spot. It’s said to be built from high-quality metal with a premium finish, a notable departure from the fabric-and-plastic look of most smart speakers on the market today. No camera or screen has been confirmed, and OpenAI has not officially detailed the hardware.

Jony Ive and LoveFrom’s Design Fingerprints

The device is being developed in partnership with LoveFrom, the design studio founded by Jony Ive after he left Apple, where he led design on the iPhone, iPad, and iMac for two decades. OpenAI and LoveFrom announced a hardware partnership in 2025, and this speaker appears to be the first tangible result. The goal, according to earlier OpenAI statements, is to make the device feel like a “physical manifestation” of ChatGPT rather than just another app icon on a phone.

Price and Release Timeline

Bloomberg reports the device could sell for somewhere between $300 and $400, well above most smart speakers on the market. For comparison, Amazon’s home speaker lineup typically ranges from about $40 on the low end to roughly $240 at the top. A release isn’t expected until sometime in 2027, and neither OpenAI nor LoveFrom has confirmed final specs, pricing, or a launch date.

Why a Smart Speaker, and Why Now

Moving into hardware lets OpenAI put ChatGPT directly into people’s homes, rather than competing solely on phones and browsers where Google and Apple already control the operating system. It also mirrors a broader industry push toward ambient, always-available AI companions, a trend that’s fueling a wave of wearable tech leaks this year, from smart glasses to smart rings, alongside rival efforts from Amazon’s Alexa+ and Google’s Gemini-powered speakers.

An Apple Lawsuit Looms Over the Project

OpenAI’s hardware ambitions are already tangled up in litigation. Apple is suing OpenAI, alleging the company misused trade secrets while developing its ChatGPT hardware device, a case that adds legal uncertainty on top of the technical challenge of building a first-generation gadget. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing, but the dispute is a reminder of how personal the rivalry between the two companies has become as both chase the same vision of ambient AI hardware.

How It Stacks Up Against Today’s Smart Speakers

At $300 to $400, OpenAI’s device would cost noticeably more than most Amazon Echo or Google Nest speakers, and would land close to or above Apple’s own HomePod. Smart speakers have historically been a low-margin, hit-or-miss category, so a premium price tag is a gamble. It’s still unclear whether the device will require a ChatGPT subscription to unlock its full range of features, or whether it will work as a standalone product.

What Happens Next

OpenAI historically stays quiet about hardware until close to launch, so expect a steady trickle of leaks about OpenAI’s new AI speaker rather than an official announcement anytime soon. With a 2027 target and ongoing legal pressure from Apple, the shape, price, and even the existence of the final product could still change substantially before it ever reaches shelves.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is OpenAI’s new AI speaker?

OpenAI’s new AI speaker is a rumored, donut or hockey-puck-shaped smart home device built around ChatGPT, reportedly designed with Jony Ive’s studio LoveFrom. OpenAI has not officially unveiled or confirmed the product.

How much will OpenAI’s AI speaker cost?

Bloomberg’s reporting, as covered by TechCrunch, suggests a price between $300 and $400, higher than most mainstream smart speakers currently sold by Amazon and Google.

When will OpenAI’s AI speaker be released?

Reports point to a possible 2027 launch, though OpenAI has not confirmed any date, and hardware timelines like this one often shift.

Is Jony Ive really designing this device?

Yes, reports indicate LoveFrom, the design studio Jony Ive founded after leaving Apple, is collaborating with OpenAI on the device as part of a hardware partnership the two companies formed in 2025.