I just saw interesting news about the upcoming launch of a new AI device from OpenAI later this year. It seems the company is seriously expanding into hardware.

What’s notable is that OpenAI has acquired io from Jony Ive to present a compact AI device that feels like a conversational companion. This device doesn’t have a traditional screen and relies mainly on voice for interaction. CEO Sam Altman said the product is “so simple it’s almost unbelievable,” and that it doesn’t aim to replace smartphones—it’s meant to be a third accessory.

According to rumors, the device will weigh about 10–15 grams, making it small enough to fit in a pocket or be worn. It has a built-in microphone and camera so the AI can understand the context of the environment around it. In addition, it can convert handwritten text into text and sync data with ChatGPT.

It has the codename “Gumdrop” or “Sweetpea.” The designer, Ive, emphasizes that the goal is to create a product that users can interact with naturally, without relying on traditional apps or screens.

For manufacturing, OpenAI has chosen Foxconn as its partner. Production is expected to take place in Vietnam or the United States, indicating a diversification of supply sources. Although the original plan may have involved China, OpenAI has changed its strategy.

Final pricing and specifications have not yet been disclosed, but OpenAI says that additional announcements are expected soon. This appears to be a major move by OpenAI into the growing AI hardware market, raising the question of whether this new type of AI device could change the way we interact with technology.