OpenAI plans late-2026 launch of first AI hardware device, designed with Jony Ive: Will it survive where others struggled

OpenAI is officially planning to unveil its first consumer hardware device in the second half of 2026, marking a major strategic expansion from its core software offerings like ChatGPT into the AI hardware market. The announcement came from OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane speaking at Axios House Davos 2026, where he confirmed that the company’s long-rumored hardware project, designed in collaboration with former Apple design chief Jony Ive, is progressing and targeted for a late-2026 reveal.