OpenAI plans doughnut-shaped smart speaker without display

OpenAI is making a play for your kitchen counter. The company best known for ChatGPT is developing a smart speaker shaped like a doughnut, roughly the size of a hockey puck, with no screen in sight.

The device is being built in collaboration with Jony Ive’s LoveFrom design studio. The expected retail price sits between $300 and $400, placing it squarely in premium territory compared to existing smart speakers from Amazon and Google.

What we know about the hardware

The speaker is designed to be picked up with one hand and moved from room to room.

Integrated speaker grills and microphones handle the audio in and out. Dynamic lights built into the device are meant to convey personality and status, giving visual feedback during interactions without relying on a traditional screen. The whole thing is wrapped in premium materials, consistent with Ive’s well-documented obsession with how objects feel in your hands.

At its core, the speaker runs on ChatGPT. Voice-based interactions are the primary interface. OpenAI is positioning it to handle the usual smart speaker tasks: controlling smart home devices, playing media, answering questions. The speaker is expected to learn user preferences over time, evolving its responses the longer you use it.

The Jony Ive factor

Removing the screen is the boldest design choice. Every major smart speaker competitor has been moving in the opposite direction, adding displays to their devices over the past several years. Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub both lean heavily on visual interfaces.

The $300 to $400 price point signals that OpenAI isn’t trying to compete on volume. Basic smart speakers from Amazon and Google start well under $100.

Why OpenAI is building hardware now

ChatGPT currently lives on phones, laptops, and browsers. A dedicated hardware device gives OpenAI a direct, always-on relationship with users that doesn’t depend on another company’s operating system or app store.

First reports about the device surfaced in mid-July 2026. A possible launch timeline is set for 2027, which gives OpenAI a runway to refine both the hardware and the AI capabilities powering it. No official product images have been released yet.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.