Key Takeaways
- OpenAI plans to launch its first hardware device in the second half of 2026.
- The device may be a simple, screenless wearable, but specifics remain undisclosed.
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OpenAI is aiming for a late 2026 debut of its first hardware device, said policy chief Christopher Lehane at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos.
Lehane sees AI in devices as a near-future innovation that brings AI into people’s daily tools and gadgets.
“I think maybe towards the latter part of the year, you’ll see AI in devices. It’s well known that we’re working with Jony Ive, the maker of the iPhone, on a device, and there’s a lot more that will be coming on that,” he said, when asked about major developments in AI that the world should be prepared for.
Lehane also predicted that 2026 would be a year in which AI accelerates scientific research, leading to discoveries that impact everyday life. This builds on last year’s advances in agentic AI, which allows even non-coders to create programs, opening the door for everyday users to harness AI in ways that were previously limited to specialists.
Lehane has kept timelines and specifics of the product under wraps.
In a separate interview with Axios’ Ina Fried, he said that devices are among OpenAI’s biggest priorities for 2026 and that updates would come “much later in the year.”
Multiple reports suggest the company is developing small, screen-less devices, possibly wearables, designed around conversational interaction.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously described the product as more “peaceful” than a smartphone and simple to use.
