TLDR: OpenAI is aggressively pursuing its first hardware device, adopting a strategy that closely mirrors Apple’s approach to design, manufacturing, and talent acquisition. The company has poached numerous Apple veterans, including former hardware design and manufacturing experts, and is engaging with Apple’s established supply chain partners in Asia. Speculated devices include screen-free smart speakers, glasses, digital voice recorders, and wearable pins, with a target launch in late 2026 or early 2027. This move has created a complex dynamic with Apple, which is both a partner and a competitor.
OpenAI is making a significant push into the hardware sector, employing a strategy that closely emulates Apple’s renowned integration of hardware and software. This ambitious venture is marked by aggressive talent acquisition from Apple and strategic engagement with its manufacturing supply chain, signaling OpenAI’s intent to redefine human-AI interaction through physical devices.
The exodus of talent from Apple to OpenAI has been notable, with OpenAI offering lucrative compensation packages, including stock grants exceeding $1 million, and promising a less bureaucratic, more collaborative environment. Leading this charge is Tang Tan, OpenAI’s chief hardware officer and a 25-year Apple veteran, who was instrumental in translating Jony Ive’s design concepts into mass-manufactured products. Key recruits include Cyrus Daniel Irani from Apple’s human interface design team, Erik de Jong from Apple Watch hardware, and Matt Theobald, a 17-year Apple veteran in manufacturing design.
This talent drain intensified following OpenAI’s $6.5 billion acquisition of io Products in May 2025. Co-founded by Jony Ive and Tang Tan, io Products provided OpenAI with an immediate design capability and the credibility associated with Apple’s celebrated designer. While Ive continues to lead his LoveFrom studio, he is reportedly spending increasing time at OpenAI’s San Francisco office, collaborating on the new hardware initiatives.
OpenAI is also replicating Apple’s manufacturing playbook by striking deals with the same suppliers that produce iPhones and AirPods. Luxshare, a major Apple partner, has already committed to building at least one OpenAI device, and Goertek, another Apple supplier, has been approached for speaker modules. The company is considering Vietnam as a likely production base to mitigate potential geopolitical risks, aiming for mass production to begin in 2027.
The speculated hardware devices are designed for ambient, screen-free interaction with AI. Concepts range from a smart speaker without a display, to glasses, a digital voice recorder, and a wearable pin. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests a compact, iPod Shuffle-like form factor, slightly larger than the Humane AI Pin, relying on built-in cameras and microphones for environmental detection rather than a display. The target launch window for these devices is late 2026 or early 2027, with an ambitious shipment target of 1 million units.
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Apple has taken notice of the poaching spree, even canceling an annual offsite in China in August 2025 due to concerns about executive defections to OpenAI. This rivalry is complicated by an existing partnership, as Apple has licensed OpenAI’s models for Siri and its Image Playground app since 2024. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasizes that the development of AI technology requires a comprehensive design approach at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding human interaction.
