Challenge smart phone! OpenAI claims to have completed the development of the first hardware device prototype and plans to release it within two years.

Last Friday, CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, announced that the startup has successfully completed the development of its first hardware prototype. "We have finally made the first batch of prototypes," Altman said in a video released on Monday by Emerson Collective. "The excellence of this work and the excitement it brings is amazing, almost unbelievable." Emerson Collective is an organization focused on investing in entrepreneurs. In May of this year, OpenAI acquired the startup io for $6.4 billion in stock and announced plans to develop a new AI device. io was then responsible for the design work of the hardware project. Since then, OpenAI and io have kept relatively quiet about the project. io stated that he expects the device to be released within two years or less. He mentioned that the development process of the new hardware is largely unpredictable. "Especially in big companies that value predictability, leaders feel very uncomfortable when faced with uncertainty," io said. Altman refused to answer questions about the specific product that OpenAI is building, but he mentioned that the company hopes its hardware can create a more tranquil 'atmosphere' than a smartphone and compared the experience of using a smartphone to 'navigating through Times Square'. Altman described, "You can pursue this kind of atmosphere: it's not like navigating through Times Square, being pushed by crowds and having various information competing for your attention," "but more like sitting quietly in the most beautiful cottage by the lake in the mountains, enjoying peace and tranquility." He mentioned that an intelligent AI device will be able to handle tasks for users for an extended period, filter information, and determine when there are enough important matters to notify the user. Altman added that the device will be able to "understand everything you have thought, read, and said." OpenAI's hardware plans are closely watched by competitors and potential customers. Companies like Amazon.com, Inc., Alphabet Inc. Class C, and Meta have released AI devices such as smart glasses and smart speakers, but no product has been successful enough to reshape the hardware industry. Meanwhile, some startups are also trying new device forms (such as pendants) and concepts (such as giving AI personality). With OpenAI having the most commonly used chatting AI ChatGPT, launching a significant device could potentially break this deadlock. A successful product could even pose a threat to Apple Inc. This iPhone manufacturer has not yet released a dedicated AI hardware design and has faced difficulties in improving its long-standing AI voice assistant Siri. In March of this year, Apple Inc. announced that plans to improve Siri have been postponed to 2026. Last week, OpenAI announced a partnership with Foxconn. Foxconn produces consumer electronics for companies like Apple Inc. However, the collaboration between OpenAI and Foxconn mainly focuses on building AI infrastructure, and device manufacturing was not specifically mentioned.