OpenAI is building its first consumer hardware device: a screenless, mobile AI speaker designed as a humanlike AI companion for the home. The company paid $6.5 billion to acquire io, an AI devices startup founded by Apple design chief Jony Ive, to develop hardware tailored for the generative AI era. The speaker will be rechargeable and portable, and will handle smart-home control, music playback, question answering, message responses, and full ChatGPT capabilities. The planned launch is 2027. The device will include cameras, sensors, and moving parts. Apple has sued OpenAI, alleging trade secret theft related to hardware development; the lawsuit was filed in July 2026 as OpenAI’s device plans became public.