Sam Altman wants OpenAI to build the computer that comes after the smartphone

Sam Altman isn’t content with making the world’s most popular chatbot. He wants to build the hardware it lives in, too.

The OpenAI CEO has been laying out an increasingly detailed vision for what he calls a “new kind of computer,” one designed from scratch for AI rather than retrofitted from decades-old paradigms. The central idea: devices that don’t wait for you to tap, type, or swipe. They just know what you need and act on it.

The pitch: computers that think ahead

Altman’s argument boils down to a simple observation. Smartphones and PCs were designed for a world where humans did the computing. AI-native devices should flip that relationship entirely.

Instead of pulling out your phone to check your calendar, send a message, or adjust your thermostat, Altman envisions hardware that maintains continuous context about your life. It would handle tasks proactively, anticipating what you want before you ask.

That level of personalization is the endgame. Altman has suggested that advances in deep personalization could arrive within months, not years, laying the software groundwork for the hardware push that follows.

Jony Ive, a $6.5B acquisition, and a smart speaker

OpenAI isn’t approaching this as a side project. In 2025, the company acquired Jony Ive’s startup for $6.5 billion in equity, bringing the former Apple design chief into the fold.

The first product from this collaboration is expected to be a portable, battery-powered smart speaker. It’s targeted for a 2027 launch with a price point between $200 and $300, putting it in the same ballpark as a HomePod or a mid-range pair of earbuds.

The device has been described as a “humanlike AI companion” rather than a traditional speaker. Reports from Bloomberg and MacRumors indicate it will pack sensors, advanced voice recognition, and the ability to perform tasks proactively based on user preferences and contextual cues. It’s meant to control smart home devices, respond to messages, and get better the longer you use it.

OpenAI’s hardware roadmap reportedly includes multiple form factors designed to complement, not replace, existing devices like phones and laptops.

Why this is harder than it sounds

Building a new computing category is roughly as easy as it sounds impossible. The graveyard of “post-smartphone” devices is deep and well-populated. Google Glass arrived too early and too awkwardly. The Humane AI Pin launched to devastating reviews. Rabbit’s R1 struggled to justify its existence next to a phone that already lived in everyone’s pocket.

The disadvantages are real, though. Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging trade-secret violations connected to the hardware projects. Legal disputes of this nature can slow timelines and drain executive attention, even if they don’t ultimately succeed.

What to watch

For competitors, the response is already taking shape. Apple is deepening Siri’s integration with on-device AI. Google is embedding Gemini more aggressively across its Pixel hardware. Amazon has been trying to make Alexa smarter for nearly a decade with mixed results.

The $200 to $300 price point for the initial speaker is strategically interesting. It’s low enough to be an impulse purchase for early adopters, but high enough to signal that this isn’t a throwaway experiment.

Investors tracking OpenAI’s trajectory should pay attention to whether the 2027 timeline holds. Hardware development is notoriously unforgiving, and the company has no track record shipping physical products. The legal battle with Apple adds another variable that could push timelines or force design compromises.

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