OpenAI’s first smart speaker will supposedly look like a “doughnut that’s roughly the size of a hockey puck,” according to a new Bloomberg report. This odd design will help the speaker stand out from the competition.
It will also apparently enable the speaker to work in “different positions.”
OpenAI’s smart speaker won’t look like anything else
OpenAI is currently known for ChatGPT. But the company plans to enter the consumer electronics market and is reportedly working on five different products.
The first to launch will apparently be a smart speaker. OpenAI sees it as a “new type of home computer for the AI era.” Like other smart speakers, OpenAI’s device will control smart home devices, play media, answer questions, and more.
Similar to ChatGPT, it will also learn about your preferences and habits over time to offer a more personalized experience.
A new Bloomberg report provides more details about the speaker. It seems OpenAI will also focus heavily on the device’s design to distinguish it from the competition. Its unusual doughnut-shaped design should certainly attract eyeballs. It will even supposedly include parts that move on their own when it interacts with users.
“The product will have speaker grills and microphones for fielding commands and conversing with users. The battery-powered item will be designed to work in different positions — in a user’s hand, say, or placed on a nightstand or kitchen counter,” says Gurman in the report.
That doughnut design won’t come cheap
Iconic Apple designer Jony Ive is designing the speaker for OpenAI after the company acquired his design firm, LoveFrom, in 2025.
The report further adds that Apple is not close to launching something similar. That could help the company in its legal battle against Apple over stolen trade secrets.
OpenAI could price the smart speaker around $300-$400. The use of high-end materials and metals will give it a premium look and feel.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
You can reach out to him at mail[at]rajeshpandey.me.
