OpenAI and Jony Ive Target 100 Million Sales for Screenless AI Device in 2026

OpenAI and former Apple design chief Jony Ive are preparing to launch a screenless artificial intelligence device, an ambitious hardware gamble designed to fundamentally change how humans interact with computers. The project, which has been shrouded in secrecy for over a year, is targeting an unprecedented 100 million unit sales.[1][2]

The collaboration represents a massive financial and strategic commitment. In May 2025, OpenAI reportedly acquired Ive’s hardware startup, 'io', in a $6.5 billion all-equity deal. The resulting product is slated for release in late 2026 or early 2027, positioning itself not as an accessory, but as a "third core device" to sit alongside the personal computer and the smartphone.[1][2][4]

Mechanically, the device abandons the glass rectangles that have defined consumer technology for two decades. Leaks describe the hardware as a palm-sized, battery-powered "metal doughnut" or puck. It is designed to be highly portable—easily slipped into a pocket or carried from room to room—rather than worn on the body like a smartwatch or smart glasses.[1][3][4][5]

Without a screen to convey information, the device relies entirely on advanced sensory inputs and voice output. It is reportedly equipped with an array of ambient microphones, spatial cameras, and environmental sensors. These components allow the hardware to "see" what the user sees and "hear" what they hear, granting the AI a continuous understanding of the physical environment.[1][4][5]

To bridge the gap left by the absence of a visual interface, the design incorporates physical feedback. Sources indicate the device features mechanical elements that move on their own, alongside status lighting, to signal when the AI is listening, processing, or preparing to speak. This gives the hardware a physical "personality," making the interaction feel more like conversing with an entity than issuing commands to a static speaker.[4][5]

The software architecture driving the device represents a departure from traditional smart home hubs. Rather than waiting passively for a wake word like "Hey Siri" or "Alexa," the OpenAI companion is designed to be "always on." It constantly gathers audio and visual data to build a persistent memory of the user’s habits, preferences, and daily routines.[2][4]

This constant stream of data allows the AI to be proactive rather than purely reactive. Internal presentations suggest the device will observe users and offer unsolicited suggestions to help them achieve their goals, such as recommending an earlier bedtime if it knows the user has an early morning meeting. It could also authenticate purchases using facial recognition, similar to Apple's Face ID.[4]

Delivering this level of seamless, conversational AI requires overcoming immense compute challenges. OpenAI must balance the need for instantaneous, low-latency voice responses with the massive processing power required by frontier models. While some processing will likely happen locally on the device to ensure speed and privacy, the heavy lifting will require a continuous, high-bandwidth connection to OpenAI's cloud infrastructure.[2][6]

The strategic goal behind this engineering effort is to break the smartphone's monopoly on human attention. Both Sam Altman and Jony Ive have expressed a desire to move away from screen-based interfaces, which demand total visual focus. By shifting the interaction to ambient voice and contextual awareness, they hope to create technology that is highly capable but less intrusive.[1][2]

The market for AI hardware, however, has proven notoriously difficult to crack. Recent attempts by startups like Humane and Rabbit to launch screenless AI companions were met with poor reviews, plagued by software bugs, slow response times, and limited utility. OpenAI is betting that its direct control over the underlying AI models, combined with Ive's legendary industrial design, will solve the friction points that doomed earlier devices.[1][2]

Pricing and positioning will be critical to achieving the company's lofty sales targets. The device is expected to retail between $200 and $400, placing it above entry-level smart speakers but significantly below the cost of a flagship smartphone. At that price, OpenAI hopes to drive mass adoption, though convincing consumers to carry a dedicated AI puck remains a steep challenge.[3][5]

The most significant hurdle may not be technical, but societal. An always-on device equipped with cameras and microphones designed to monitor a user's home and daily life raises profound privacy concerns. Consumers will have to trust OpenAI with an unprecedented level of intimate, continuous surveillance data in exchange for the convenience of a proactive digital companion.[2][3]

Hitting 100 million sales would make this one of the fastest-selling consumer electronics in history. For a company that currently relies on software subscriptions, launching a physical product of this scale is a monumental gamble—one that will test whether the public is truly ready to invite an autonomous AI companion into their pockets and living rooms.[1][2]