OpenAI анонсировала запуск первого ИИ-гаджета и рекламу в ChatGPT Translation: OpenAI announced the launch of its first AI gadget and advertising in ChatGPT.

OpenAI is «on track» to unveil its first device in the latter half of 2026, as stated by the company’s Global Affairs Director, Chris Lehane, in a discussion with Axios.

In May 2025, OpenAI announced the acquisition of a startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, focused on creating AI devices. Concurrently, Sam Altman presented employees with a preliminary overview of the gadget he is developing alongside Ive and shared plans to launch 100 million «AI companions.» The entrepreneur hopes these companions will seamlessly integrate into people’s daily lives.

The new product is designed to fully comprehend the user’s environment and lifestyle. It is unobtrusive, capable of resting in a pocket or on a table, and is expected to become a third essential device alongside the MacBook Pro and iPhone.

It won’t be a phone, glasses, or any wearable — Ive and Altman aim to reduce people’s dependence on screens, referring to this as a «new design movement.»

OpenAI’s CEO emphasized the intention to create an entire «lineup of devices,» likening the concept to Apple’s ecosystem.

Lehane identified the device as one of the company’s major innovations for 2026, though it remains uncertain whether it will be available for sale this year.

In January, an insider known as Smart Pikachu revealed that OpenAI plans to launch an «alternative» to AirPods.

The internal codename is Sweetpea. The case will resemble an egg and contain two «capsules» that are to be placed behind the ear. The primary processor will be a smartphone chip. While the cost of materials and components will be high, the gadget is expected to be powerful.

According to the blogger, the presentation is scheduled for September 2026, with projected sales in the first year estimated at 40-50 million units.

Foxconn is set to «prepare five devices for release» by the fourth quarter of 2028, added Smart Pikachu.

In October 2025, Financial Times reported that OpenAI is developing a palm-sized device without a screen that «receives audio and visual signals and responds to user requests.» This could potentially reference a «smart» speaker.

OpenAI’s CFO, Sara Fryar, shared in a blog post plans for 2026, indicating it will be a period of «practical implementation.»

«The priority task is to bridge the gap between what is currently possible with artificial intelligence and how people, companies, and countries utilize it in daily life,» she stated.

The possibilities are vast and accessible now, especially in healthcare, science, and entrepreneurship, Fryar added.

The executive outlined OpenAI’s vision for monetizing services while ensuring computational capacity. She noted that the lab’s revenue is directly linked to the availability of technical infrastructure.

The AI startup’s computational capacity grew from 0.2 GW in 2023 to 1.9 GW in 2025, while annual revenue during the same period surged from $2 billion to over $20 billion.

«This is unprecedented growth. We firmly believe that increasing computational capacity would lead to faster adoption and monetization,» Fryar emphasized.

The tech industry, including OpenAI, is under scrutiny due to significant investments in data centers and energy supply. Skeptics argue that a bubble may be forming, as Altman’s startup remains unprofitable despite its high revenue.

«Ensuring computational capacity requires commitments made years prior, and growth does not occur in a perfectly linear fashion,» Fryar added.

She mentioned that OpenAI’s business model needs to scale alongside its products.

On January 16, OpenAI announced that it would begin testing ads in ChatGPT’s free tier and an affordable Go subscription in the coming weeks.

The company assured that there would be no advertisements in the Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans.

Altman noted that he would strive to ensure that paid messages are valuable.

In related news, billionaire Elon Musk called for OpenAI and Microsoft to repay $134 billion in «unlawful profits» gained thanks to his early support in January.