OpenAI Will Prepare Its First Physical AI Device for the Second Half of 2026

• OpenAI is nearing the launch of an AI device in 2026.
• The company highlighted its focus on physical hardware this year.
• Sam Altman previously emphasized that such a device would be more “peaceful” than a smartphone.

OpenAI is “on track” to unveil its first physical artificial intelligence (AI) device in the second half of 2026. OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, said this while speaking at the Axios House event in Davos.

According to him, devices will be one of the company’s key growth areas in 2026. 

In the interview, Lehane noted that OpenAI would have news “much later this year,” while not confirming that the device would necessarily go on sale this year. 

Interest in OpenAI’s hardware push has been building since the company acquired the firm of former Apple chief designer Jony Ive in May 2025. At the time, his studio, known as io, also hinted at a 2026 release, saying in a promotional video: 

Even so, neither OpenAI CEO Sam Altman nor the company’s leadership has yet disclosed details about the form factor of the upcoming device. 

Previously, Altman only said it would be “calmer than a smartphone,” and that users would be “amazed at how simple it is.” 

According to media reports, OpenAI is already experimenting with prototypes of small, screenless devices that could be wearable. Lehane, however, declined to specify whether it is a pin, an earbud, or another format.

Recall that since the beginning of 2026, the company has taken several important steps that point to a systematic push into the physical AI device segment. In particular, OpenAI planned to announce a new speech audio model in the first quarter of 2026.

At the same time, OpenAI is rapidly scaling up its infrastructure. The company signed a multi-year contract with AI chipmaker Cerebras that, according to a Reuters source, is valued at $10 billion and will run through 2028. Under the deal, Cerebras will provide OpenAI with up to 750 MW of compute capacity starting in 2026, reflecting rising demand for AI inference and the scaling of models like ChatGPT.

Meanwhile, OpenAI is also changing the monetization model for its products. The company announced the launch of ad testing in the free version of ChatGPT and in the new Go plan priced at $8 per month. Altman stressed that ads “will not affect the chatbot’s answers and will not compromise user privacy,” and also said he intends to make them useful for the audience.