OpenAI即將推出其首款硬體產品——一款無螢幕的智慧音箱，由前蘋果設計大師乔尼·艾维（Jony Ive）操刀設計。該裝置可在家中各房間移動，其核心賣點在於擁有獨特的「人格」特質和與用戶建立情感連結的能力。據報導，裝置將包含可自主運動的機械元件，營造出「彷彿活著」的感覺，而非僅是一個被動回應指令的物件。OpenAI為此投入了高達65億美元，預計2026年亮相、2027年正式發售。
這款裝置將採用ChatGPT進階語音模式的升級版本，能同時聆聽與說話，讓用戶可以隨時打斷對話而不會造成系統混亂。相較於亞馬遜Alexa、蘋果Siri和Google Gemini等現有智慧助手主要著重於實用功能，OpenAI選擇了一條截然不同的路線——以情感陪伴和人格化體驗作為核心競爭力。將裝置定位於家庭場景而非穿戴式設備也是經過深思熟慮的策略，因為像Friend和Limitless等穿戴式AI伴侶產品曾面臨公共場合社交尷尬與隱私疑慮等問題。
然而，這種以「情感依附」為賣點的策略也引發了道德爭議。OpenAI自身的研究已表明，部分ChatGPT重度用戶出現了對AI聊天機器人的情感依賴現象，其中進階語音模式的使用者風險最高。艾维曾對智慧手機的成癮性表達過悔意，但這款刻意被設計成「有生命感」的裝置可能恰恰製造出同類問題。如果艾维的初衷是打造不那麼令人上癮的科技產品，那麼這一目標可能與OpenAI追求用戶黏性的商業模式產生根本性衝突。此外，蘋果已對OpenAI提起商業機密竊取訴訟，為該產品的前景增添了更多不確定性。
OpenAI is preparing to launch its first hardware product: a screenless smart speaker designed by Jony Ive, the legendary former Apple designer whose team was acquired by Sam Altman for $6.5 billion. The device is intended to be moved from room to room within the home, and its standout feature will be a distinct personality and the ability to form emotional connections with users. It will reportedly include mechanical elements that move autonomously, creating the impression of a living entity rather than a passive object. The device is expected to be unveiled in 2026 and released in 2027.
The speaker will run on an advanced version of ChatGPT's voice mode, enabling simultaneous listening and speaking so that users can interrupt naturally without disrupting the system. Unlike Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, and Google's Gemini, which compete primarily on utility and task execution, OpenAI is betting on companionship and personality as its differentiator. Keeping the device home-based rather than wearable is a deliberate choice informed by the social friction experienced by wearable AI startups like Friend and Limitless, whose pendant-style products faced public awkwardness and privacy concerns similar to those that plagued Google Glass.
Yet this companionship-first strategy raises significant ethical concerns. OpenAI's own research has found that a subset of heavy ChatGPT users have developed emotional dependence on AI chatbots, with advanced voice mode users at the highest risk. While Ive has publicly expressed regret over the addictive nature of smartphones he helped design, the new device—engineered to feel alive and foster attachment—could reproduce the very problem he hopes to solve. If Ive seeks redemption through less-addictive technology, that aspiration may clash directly with OpenAI's business model, which thrives on deep user engagement. Adding further uncertainty, Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging theft of trade secrets.