OpenAI's first consumer device, which is said to be AI-powered earbuds bearing the internal codename "Sweetpea," has now officially moved away from the rumor mill to the teaser stage, with the startup's chief global affairs officer, Chris Lehane, choosing to disclose a few tantalizing tidbits at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Chris Lehane: The upcoming consumer AI device is one of OpenAI's highest priorities in 2026
While speaking at the Axios House Davos event of the WEF, OpenAI's Lehane has chosen to disclose that the startup's first consumer AI device constitutes one of its highest priorities this year, and that it is working to launch the device in the second half of 2026.
Taiwan's Economic Daily adds further color by noting that OpenAI is likely to launch the device in September 2026, and is targeting a sales volume of between 40 million and 50 million units in the first year. The publication also adds that the device is likely to be manufactured by Foxconn in Vietnam.
While Lehane eschewed further details, we already know from a slew of recent reports that OpenAI is apparently working on dedicated AI-powered earbuds that bear the internal codename "Sweetpea." The device would rely heavily on cloud-based AI processing, while featuring a 2nm Samsung Exynos chip for some on-device processing.
Of course, OpenAI is also working on another consumer device that is reportedly shaped like a pen and sports a size similar to that of the Apple iPod Shuffle. The device bears the internal codename "Gumdrop," and is entirely bereft of a dedicated screen. Additional details include:
- Contextual awareness via a suite of sensors, including cameras and microphones.
- The device will be able to run OpenAI's tailored AI models locally, with cloud computational support available for more compute-intensive tasks.
- It will be able to convert handwritten notes into text and instantly upload them to ChatGPT.
- The device will be able to communicate with its peers, akin to what we currently do with smartphones.
- It won't bear the form factor of a wearable, but may be carried in the pocket or worn around the neck.
- Expected to launch in 2026 or 2027.
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