OpenAI Targets 2027 Launch for AI Speaker with Camera in Hardware Push

OpenAI plans to launch its first AI-powered smart speaker equipped with a camera as early as 2027, marking a strategic expansion into consumer hardware. According to a report by *The Information*, the device will be priced between $200 and $300 and is designed to recognize objects and users via facial recognition. The hardware division, staffed by over 200 employees, is also developing smart glasses tentatively scheduled for 2028 to compete with Meta (META-US). The designs are being led by Jony Ive following OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of his design firm, io, in 2025. A smart desk lamp is also in the prototype stage, though mass production remains uncertain.