OpenAI's policy chief Chris Lehane announced the company is on track to unveil its first hardware device in the second half of 2026. While a full market launch may wait until 2027, the planned announcement marks a significant milestone for the AI giant's physical product ambitions.

The project is being led by Jony Ive's LoveFrom design team, which has recently hired Apple veteran Janum Trivedi. Trivedi brings deep experience from Apple's iPadOS development, including work on Split View and multitasking features, suggesting the hardware will prioritize sophisticated user interfaces.

This collaboration between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the famed ex-Apple designer was first announced last May. Industry reports indicate the team is focusing on an audio-based product, building out OpenAI's audio models as a key foundation for the new device.

The hiring of more Apple alumni reinforces the project's ambition to blend advanced AI with consumer-grade hardware design. The tech world will be watching for the official 2026 unveiling to see if this partnership can deliver a new category of AI-powered devices.