OpenAI’s acquisition of Jony Ive’s io last year fueled speculation that the company could be gearing up to launch its own ChatGPT-powered hardware. Late last year, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman added fuel to those rumors, confirming in an interview that the company’s first device, described as a sleek, pocket-sized gadget that filters out noise and offers context-aware AI assistance, was in the prototype phase.
Earlier this year, a leak revealed details about a portable audio device codenamed Sweetpea, designed to sit behind the user’s ear. The leak suggested this would be the first OpenAI device to hit the market, likely in September, and an OpenAI executive has now lent credibility to that claim.
According to Axios, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, said the company is on track to showcase its first device in the latter half of 2026. Speaking at Axios House Davos, Lehane said that devices will be “among the big coming attractions for OpenAI in 2026,” adding that he’ll have more news to share “much later in the year.”
Although Lehane didn’t share any details about the device or confirm if it will go on sale in 2026, he reiterated that OpenAI is “looking at something in the latter part” of the year. While that remains the “most likely” timeline, he noted, “we will see how things advance.”
Sweetpea may very well be OpenAI’s first device
Given OpenAI’s launch timeline and the details revealed in the previous leak, Sweetpea seems to be the device Lehane is alluding to. While little is know about it beyond its design at this point, it’s likely to give users more seamless access to ChatGPT, allowing them to interact with the AI assistant completely hands-free. Expect more details to emerge in the coming months as OpenAI moves closer to unveiling its first device.
