OpenAI's Secret AI Hardware Drops This Year, CFO Says It's 'Hard to Describe'

OpenAI is working on a secret AI hardware device led by legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive. CFO Sarah Friar says using it feels 'very natural and very enjoyable,' but it's hard to put into words. She adds the device gives a direct physical feeling, and Ive's team is great at bringing humanity into the gadget.

What exactly is it? No one knows. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says it's not a phone. A fake ad earlier this year showed a ball-shaped device and headphones, but OpenAI called it 'completely fake.' Friar jokes that if she revealed it's headphones, Ive would steal her teenage son. The good news: Friar has already tried it, and it's launching by the end of this year, though legal docs say delivery won't happen before February 2027.

In May 2025, OpenAI bought Ive's AI hardware startup IO for about $6.5 billion. They're building a whole 'AI product family.' Friar says great design makes tech fade into the background—simple is actually hard. Altman and Ive want people to find the device irresistible, even making them want to 'eat' it.