OpenAI’s secret hardware project with former Apple design chief Jony Ive is “on track”. The company behind ChatGPT may unveil its first device in the second half of 2026, chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane said at Axios House in Davos. The Sam Altman-led company made headlines last year after acquiring Ive’s start-up io.
Though there are no hints as to what the final product will look like, Altman described the device last November as being more “peaceful and calm” than smartphones. Earlier reporting suggests the company wants to build a screen-free, pocketable device.
Lehane declined to go into any specifics, including whether it would be a pin, an earpiece or something else entirely. According to Axios, he did not commit to the device actually going on sale this year but said OpenAI was “looking at something in the latter part [of 2026]”. He added that while this was the “most likely” timeline, “we will see how things advance”.
Hardware beyond smartphones has been on the radar for most companies over the past few years. Early AI experiments, such as Humane’s AI Pin, have largely been flops, but that has not stopped companies from innovating. Around 10 million AI-equipped glasses are already being shipped each year, with the figure likely to climb to 100 million by either this year or next, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told Fried in a separate on-stage interview at Axios House. He said AI devices would take many forms, including earbuds with cameras and jewellery, with Qualcomm chips powering the majority of these products, but added that AI-enabled glasses are likely to be the largest category by volume.
When asked whether a Qualcomm chip would be inside the OpenAI device, Amon said, “We have been working with them, so we are excited about what we are doing together, but they will talk about their device.”
Meanwhile, The Information has published a report suggesting Apple could be developing its own AI wearable. The device may be a pin worn on clothing, equipped with two cameras and three microphones, the report said.
