OpenAI is preparing to release its first consumer hardware product in the second half of 2026, according to multiple reports tracking the company’s device ambitions since its $6.4 billion acquisition of Jony Ive’s AI startup io in May 2025.

The device’s exact form factor remains undisclosed, but OpenAI has framed its goals in terms that suggest something designed to compete with smartphones as a daily AI companion. The company has said it aims to produce 100 million units faster than any previous consumer electronics product has reached that milestone — a claim that drew both attention and scepticism from industry observers.

Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief responsible for the iPhone, iPod, and Apple Watch, leads the design work. His involvement suggests the product will prioritise physical design and user experience over raw specification. Built In reported that OpenAI and Ive’s team have spent roughly a year developing the device since the acquisition.

The AI companion device category has been tried before. Humane’s AI Pin launched in 2024 and struggled commercially. Rabbit’s R1 also targeted a post-smartphone interaction model. OpenAI’s entry carries different weight given the company’s position in large language models and its relationship with Microsoft.

What the device will actually do in practice remains unclear. Speculation covers everything from a wearable AI assistant to a screenless audio companion to something closer to a phone replacement. OpenAI has not confirmed any direction publicly.

The second half of 2026 window aligns with OpenAI’s reported production timeline. Whether the company can deliver on its stated production ambitions at the quality level Ive’s design process typically demands is something the technology industry is watching closely heading into the year’s second half.