OpenAI Sets 2026 Timeline for Its First-Ever Hardware Reveal

The long-rumored collaboration between the creators of ChatGPT and the design genius behind the iPhone is moving out of the shadows and onto the calendar.

OpenAI says it’s on track to unveil its first-ever device in the second half of 2026. The confirmation came from Chris Lehane, the company’s chief global affairs officer, speaking at Axios House Davos.

Lehane said OpenAI is “looking at something in the latter part [of 2026],” while stressing that the timing is still not set in stone. “We will see how things advance,” he added, according to Axios.

The comments mark the clearest signal yet of when the ChatGPT maker expects to step beyond software and into physical products. CEO Sam Altman has been teasing a future OpenAI device since last year, after the company acquired the startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive.

At the time of that acquisition, a promotional video from Ive’s team said, “We look forward to sharing our work with you next year.” Since then, specifics have been scarce.

Lehane declined to say what form the device will take, whether it will be wearable, clipped on, or something else entirely. He also would not confirm whether the product will actually go on sale in 2026, only that a reveal is most likely in the latter half of the year.

What OpenAI has said so far

While the design remains under wraps, OpenAI executives have offered a few clues about the philosophy behind the device.

Altman has previously described it as more “peaceful” than a smartphone and said users will be “shocked” by how simple it feels. Multiple reports suggest OpenAI has been testing screenless prototypes that rely heavily on voice, rather than displays and apps.

Lehane reinforced that hardware will be a major focus for the company next year, telling Axios’ Ina Fried that “devices” are among the big developments coming for OpenAI in 2026, with more news expected “much later in the year.”

A crowded and cautious market

OpenAI will be entering a space that has already seen both excitement and disappointment. Early AI gadgets, including Humane’s AI Pin, struggled to win over consumers.

Still, industry leaders believe momentum is building. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said at the same Davos event that around 10 million AI-powered glasses are already shipping each year, with that number expected to surge sharply. AI devices, he said, could include glasses, earbuds with cameras, and even jewelry.

Asked whether Qualcomm chips might power OpenAI’s device, Amon stopped short of confirming anything. “I will say we’ve been working with them, so we’re excited about we’re doing with them, but they will talk about their device,” he said.

For now, OpenAI’s first device remains a mystery by design. There is no name, no image, and no confirmed feature list — just a timeline and a promise of simplicity.

What is clear is that 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for OpenAI, as it tests whether its AI can move off screens and into everyday life.

Also read: OpenAI is betting on voice over screens as it ramps up audio AI ahead of a new kind of personal device.

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