OpenAI is preparing to unveil its first hardware device in the second half of 2026, marking a significant step in the company’s push beyond software and into AI-native consumer products. The timeline was confirmed by Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief policy officer, during an appearance at Axios House in Davos.
While OpenAI executives have hinted at an AI device for months, this is the clearest indication yet of when the company expects to show its first piece of hardware. CEO Sam Altman has repeatedly suggested that OpenAI is working on a new kind of device designed specifically for artificial intelligence, but until now the company had not provided a concrete schedule.
Lehane described “devices” as one of the major developments on OpenAI’s roadmap for 2026, saying the company expects to have news to share much later in the year. He cautioned, however, that the timing reflects current plans rather than a firm launch commitment, noting that OpenAI is “looking at something in the latter part of 2026” and that the schedule could still evolve.
The hardware effort follows OpenAI’s acquisition last year of a design firm founded by Jony Ive, Apple’s former chief design officer. The move fueled speculation that OpenAI intends to create a new category of AI-first device rather than adapting existing consumer electronics. Altman has previously said the product would feel more “peaceful” than a smartphone and emphasized that users would be surprised by how simple it is.
Reports circulating in the tech industry suggest OpenAI has been experimenting with small, screenless prototypes, potentially wearable, that rely on voice, sensors, and ambient interaction instead of displays. Lehane declined to confirm any details about the form factor, saying he would not comment on whether the device resembles a pin, an earpiece, or something else entirely.
What remains unclear is whether OpenAI intends to sell the device shortly after unveiling it or treat the debut as a preview of a longer-term product strategy. Lehane stopped short of confirming a commercial launch date, indicating only that the unveiling is the most likely scenario for late 2026 if development continues as expected.
If successful, the move into hardware would represent a major strategic shift for OpenAI. The company has grown rapidly on the strength of ChatGPT and its developer platform, but a dedicated device could give OpenAI a direct interface with users that is not dependent on smartphones, app stores, or operating systems controlled by rivals.
Industry analysts view the effort as an attempt to define a new interaction model for AI, one where assistants are always available but less intrusive than current mobile devices. Whether OpenAI can translate that vision into a mass-market product remains an open question, but the confirmation of a 2026 target suggests the company is moving closer to making its long-teased AI hardware ambitions a reality.
