What is the story about?
OpenAI is finally putting a date, or at least a tentative one, on its much-anticipated leap into the hardware world. The ChatGPT-maker has confirmed that its first physical product, developed in collaboration with legendary designer Jony Ive, is on track to debut in the second half of 2026.
The revelation came from OpenAI Policy Chief, Chris Lehane, during an appearance at Axios House Davos, where he offered a rare glimpse into the company’s secretive hardware ambitions.
“We are looking at something in the latter part [of 2026],” Lehane told Axios, before quickly adding a note of caution: “We will see how things advance.”
That, of course, remains the billion-dollar question. CEO Sam Altman has been characteristically cryptic about the project, though his comments over the past year paint an intriguing picture.
He’s described the upcoming hardware as “peaceful”, promising that users will be “shocked” by its simplicity.
Multiple reports suggest that the device will take the form of a small, screenless AI companion, operated primarily through voice and sound. Think less “smartphone replacement” and more “AI presence”, a piece of technology designed to fade into the background while remaining constantly aware and accessible.
OpenAI’s hardware push represents a broader shift across Silicon Valley: the race to build the next interface for interacting with AI. With ChatGPT now in millions of pockets and desktops, the logical next step is to take it off the screen entirely, to make AI feel less like an app, and more like a companion.
If OpenAI and Ive pull it off, this could be the moment where the smartphone era truly begins to give way to something new, quieter, more human, and powered by generative intelligence.
For now, though, Lehane’s timeline gives us just enough to look forward to. The countdown to 2026 has officially begun, and the world is waiting to see what OpenAI’s “peaceful” machine looks like.
Jony Ive’s design studio is quietly assembling a dream team of Apple alumni for its mysterious collaboration with OpenAI.
As the project inches closer to its expected reveal, the group, known internally as the “io” team, has added yet another familiar face.
The latest recruit is Janum Trivedi, an engineer and interface designer best known for shaping some of iPadOS’s most defining features.
During his time at Apple, Trivedi played a pivotal role in developing Split View, iPad Pointer Gestures, and Multitasking Drag & Drop, innovations that helped transform the iPad into a true productivity device.
Now, Trivedi will bring that blend of elegant interface design and experimental thinking to the “io” project, working alongside Ive’s LoveFrom and OpenAI to shape what could become one of the most closely watched hardware debuts in recent tech history.
The revelation came from OpenAI Policy Chief, Chris Lehane, during an appearance at Axios House Davos, where he offered a rare glimpse into the company’s secretive hardware ambitions.
“We are looking at something in the latter part [of 2026],” Lehane told Axios, before quickly adding a note of caution: “We will see how things advance.”
What exactly is OpenAI building?
That, of course, remains the billion-dollar question. CEO Sam Altman has been characteristically cryptic about the project, though his comments over the past year paint an intriguing picture.
He’s described the upcoming hardware as “peaceful”, promising that users will be “shocked” by its simplicity.
Multiple reports suggest that the device will take the form of a small, screenless AI companion, operated primarily through voice and sound. Think less “smartphone replacement” and more “AI presence”, a piece of technology designed to fade into the background while remaining constantly aware and accessible.
OpenAI’s hardware push represents a broader shift across Silicon Valley: the race to build the next interface for interacting with AI. With ChatGPT now in millions of pockets and desktops, the logical next step is to take it off the screen entirely, to make AI feel less like an app, and more like a companion.
If OpenAI and Ive pull it off, this could be the moment where the smartphone era truly begins to give way to something new, quieter, more human, and powered by generative intelligence.
For now, though, Lehane’s timeline gives us just enough to look forward to. The countdown to 2026 has officially begun, and the world is waiting to see what OpenAI’s “peaceful” machine looks like.
The rising army
Jony Ive’s design studio is quietly assembling a dream team of Apple alumni for its mysterious collaboration with OpenAI.
As the project inches closer to its expected reveal, the group, known internally as the “io” team, has added yet another familiar face.
The latest recruit is Janum Trivedi, an engineer and interface designer best known for shaping some of iPadOS’s most defining features.
During his time at Apple, Trivedi played a pivotal role in developing Split View, iPad Pointer Gestures, and Multitasking Drag & Drop, innovations that helped transform the iPad into a true productivity device.
Now, Trivedi will bring that blend of elegant interface design and experimental thinking to the “io” project, working alongside Ive’s LoveFrom and OpenAI to shape what could become one of the most closely watched hardware debuts in recent tech history.
