OpenAI's $300+ Smart Speaker to Feature Moving Parts for 'More Alive' Feel

OpenAI's upcoming smart speaker, expected to cost over $300 and possibly up to $400, will incorporate moving parts and lights to make it seem 'more alive' than current stationary speakers, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device, designed in collaboration with LoveFrom, the studio of former Apple designer Jony Ive, will be battery-powered and shaped like a doughnut roughly the size of a hockey puck. It will reportedly function similarly to ChatGPT's voice mode on mobile apps but with more advanced models for humanlike interactivity, and will be able to control smart home devices. OpenAI has declined to comment on its product roadmap. The speaker is part of a trend of AI-first smart speakers aimed at helping users complete tasks, rather than simple tasks like checking the weather. Bloomberg reports that OpenAI views the speaker as a potential smartphone replacement. The company has been reported on since July. Following Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI, which accuses the AI company of stealing trade secrets for hardware development, OpenAI launched an internal probe and determined the speaker does not use Apple IP.