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OpenAI looks ready to take its first big step into consumer hardware, and new reports suggest the company could launch its first device later this year. The product is said to be a pair of AI-powered earbuds, internally known as Sweetpea, and it would mark OpenAI’s move beyond software into physical products people can use every day.
Based on supply chain and industry reports, Sweetpea is designed to be more than just a normal pair of wireless earbuds. The device is expected to rely heavily on cloud-based AI, with only basic processing handled directly on the earbuds themselves. This fits OpenAI’s usual approach, where powerful AI models run on remote servers instead of entirely on local hardware.
Former Apple designer may be closely involved
Design appears to be a major focus. The earbuds are reportedly influenced by work from Jony Ive, whose design company was acquired by OpenAI last year. Ive is well-known for his work with Apple, playing a vital role in product design for the iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch, and more; he joined Apple in 1992 and later served as Apple’s Chief Design Officer between 2015 and 2019. A blog post from last year reveals Ive has “assumed deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI”.
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Instead of going with a standard in-ear style, Sweetpea may use a different shape that rests behind the ears. The charging case is described as smooth and stone-like, holding two capsule-style units. If accurate, this would clearly separate it from products like Apple’s AirPods in terms of both look and feel.
On the hardware side, the earbuds are rumored to use an advanced chip built on a 2nm manufacturing process. Some reports point to a Samsung Exynos chip, while others suggest OpenAI could be developing a custom processor of its own. Manufacturing is expected to be handled by Foxconn, with production likely taking place in Vietnam. This move is reportedly intentional, as OpenAI wants to avoid manufacturing its first hardware product in mainland China.
Although OpenAI has not officially revealed the device, company executives have started talking about it publicly. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, OpenAI’s global affairs chief, Chris Lehane, described the upcoming consumer device as one of the company’s top priorities for 2026. He also hinted that the second half of the year is the most likely launch window, while making it clear that timelines could still change.
An announcement is expected around September, and the company is targeting shipment goals of 40 to 50 million units in the first year. That kind of volume suggests OpenAI is confident it can turn its large user base into hardware customers. Sweetpea is also believed to be just one part of a wider hardware push. OpenAI is reportedly working on other devices as well, including a pen-shaped AI tool codenamed Gumdrop. If these plans move forward, 2026 could be the year OpenAI begins expanding AI from screens into everyday physical devices.
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