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OpenAI’s First Hardware Device: AI Earbuds, Strategy Shift, and Launch Timeline

✇Gizmochina
By:Joane
openAI

Highlights:

  • OpenAI’s debut hardware is reportedly AI-powered earbuds codenamed Dime, expected in 2026
  • Company shelved a phone-like AI device due to high costs and chip shortages
  • Strategy now focuses on simple, screen-free AI wearables before scaling up

OpenAI is preparing to enter consumer hardware with its first AI-enabled device, according to multiple leaks and executive confirmations. The product, reportedly named Dime, is said to be an AI-powered audio wearable resembling wireless earbuds, with a tentative launch window in 2026.

image credit : ithome.com

Leaks from tipster @SmartPikachu suggest OpenAI has changed course from a more ambitious early plan. The company originally explored a smartphone-like AI device with onboard computing, but rising component costs, especially HBM memory shortages, made the idea too risky to pursue.

Instead, OpenAI is now opting for a “start simple” approach, using Dime as an entry-level product to establish a foothold in hardware, gather real-world usage data, and refine AI-first consumer experiences.

Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, has confirmed that the company is actively developing its first hardware product, but did not share a launch timeline. Sam Altman has described the device as more “peaceful and calm” than smartphones, suggesting it may be screen-free and pocketable.

Industry buzz around OpenAI hardware intensified after it acquired io, founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive. Manufacturing partners under consideration reportedly include Foxconn and Luxshare.

While competition in AI wearables remains high, Dime could mark OpenAI’s first step toward owning the full AI experience for both software and hardware.

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