OpenAI ChatGPT Smart Speaker Could Cost $400, Launch in 2027
OpenAI’s rumored $300 to $400 ChatGPT speaker may debut in 2026, pairing a moving design with smart home controls before a planned 2027 market release.
Summary
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported on August 7, 2026, citing people familiar with the matter, that OpenAI’s unannounced battery-powered smart speaker will probably cost over $300, with pricing up to $400 discussed. OpenAI reportedly sees it as a smartphone replacement, using advanced models for more humanlike interactions than ChatGPT voice mode on mobile apps, completing tasks and controlling smart home devices. Roughly hockey puck sized and doughnut shaped, it would use independently moving parts and listening lights to appear alive. Premium materials, including high-quality metal, were reportedly developed with LoveFrom, the studio owned by former Apple designer Jony Ive. OpenAI declined to discuss its roadmap.
Apple is suing OpenAI for allegedly stealing hardware development trade secrets, but Bloomberg said an internal OpenAI probe found the speaker uses no Apple intellectual property. Bloomberg expects a 2026 unveiling and 2027 release unless the lawsuit intervenes. The speaker would follow OpenAI’s only other gadget, the $230 Codex Micro mini keyboard, as the company explores more AI devices. Its proposed price exceeds Amazon’s $300, 15.6 inch Echo Show 15 and $220 Echo Studio with virtual surround sound. ChatGPT has significantly more users than subscription-based Alexa+, but many already access it on existing devices, advanced features require subscriptions, and sophisticated hardware may be difficult to fit inside the reported form. OpenAI, losing billions of dollars annually, is seeking revenue and engagement in a smart speaker market with severe profitability problems.
Positives
- ChatGPT has significantly more users than Amazon’s Alexa+, giving OpenAI an established audience for dedicated voice hardware.
- Advanced models would provide more humanlike interaction than ChatGPT voice mode on mobile apps, according to Bloomberg.
- Battery power and smart home controls could extend ChatGPT beyond phones into task completion and household automation.
- LoveFrom, owned by former Apple designer Jony Ive, reportedly created the premium metal design with OpenAI.
- OpenAI’s internal probe reportedly concluded that the speaker does not use Apple intellectual property.
Risks & concerns
- Pricing above $300, potentially reaching $400, would make OpenAI’s speaker costlier than most competing smart speakers.
- Amazon’s $300 Echo Show 15 includes a 15.6 inch display, while the $220 Echo Studio offers virtual surround sound.
- Advanced ChatGPT capabilities also require subscription fees, increasing the cost beyond the proposed hardware price.
- Apple’s trade secret lawsuit could disrupt Bloomberg’s reported 2026 unveiling and 2027 release schedule.
- OpenAI is losing billions of dollars annually while entering a smart speaker market already burdened by severe profitability obstacles.
- The hockey puck sized form may lack room for advanced hardware capable of justifying a $300 to $400 price.
