OpenAI Taps Apple Supply Chain to Build First ChatGPT-Powered Device by 2027

“OpenAI” is taking a bold step into hardware. According to a new report, the company behind ChatGPT is recruiting top Apple hardware talent and teaming up with “Apple’s supply chain partners” to manufacture its first AI-powered consumer device. The product is expected to launch between “late 2026 and early 2027”, signaling OpenAI’s ambitions to move beyond software into physical, AI-driven experiences.

OpenAI’s Apple Connection

OpenAI’s hardware journey began earlier this year when it partnered with “Jony Ive”, Apple’s legendary former design chief, by acquiring his AI-focused hardware startup, ‘io’. Now, the company is going further by actively hiring Apple veterans.

OpenAI’s “Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan”, who previously led Apple’s product design, has reportedly promised recruits a workplace with “less bureaucracy and more collaboration” than what they experienced at Cupertino. Apple, concerned by this talent raid, has even canceled one of its key supply chain events in China, according to The Information.

Partnerships with Apple’s Supply Chain Giants

To transform prototypes into mass-market devices, OpenAI is collaborating with “Luxshare”, one of Apple’s top manufacturing partners responsible for iPhones and AirPods. Luxshare is said to have already signed a contract to assemble OpenAI’s first consumer device.

Additionally, OpenAI has approached “Goertek”, another Apple supplier that assembles AirPods, HomePods, and Apple Watches, to provide “speaker modules” for its upcoming products. This supply chain alignment suggests OpenAI is preparing for large-scale production from the start.

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What Hardware Is OpenAI Building?

While OpenAI has kept official details under wraps, reports suggest the company is working on several “AI-powered hardware concepts”:

> “A smart speaker without a display”, designed to be a voice-first, context-aware companion.
> “Smart glasses” that could integrate conversational AI into daily life.
> “A digital voice recorder” optimized for real-time transcription and AI summarization.
> “A wearable pin”, possibly functioning as a personal AI assistant.

Prototypes reportedly include “pocket-sized devices” with advanced context-awareness, deeply integrated with OpenAI’s “ChatGPT models”.

Why This Matters for OpenAI

For years, OpenAI has been synonymous with “AI software”, from ChatGPT to its multimodal models. Venturing into hardware could give the company direct control over how users experience AI in their daily lives – similar to how Apple leveraged hardware to revolutionize personal computing and smartphones.

By merging “cutting-edge AI with custom-designed hardware”, OpenAI could carve out a new consumer tech category that rivals smart speakers, wearables, and AR devices.

The Road Ahead

The launch timeline of “2026–2027” positions OpenAI to compete directly with “Apple, Google, Amazon, and Meta”, all of whom are heavily investing in AI-driven hardware. If successful, OpenAI’s ChatGPT-powered devices could redefine how people interact with technology – shifting from app-based AI to “always-on, context-aware companions”.

With Apple’s supply chain muscle behind it and former Apple talent leading the charge, “OpenAI’s hardware bet might be its boldest move yet.”