OpenAI's $400 donut speaker tests if users will pay a premium for voice-first AI
openai and jony ive are developing a $300-$400 smart speaker featuring a donut shape and moving parts. the high price point challenges the prevailing trend of commoditized voice assistants.
openai is entering the consumer hardware market with a premium smart speaker developed alongside jony ive's lovefrom studio. the device, expected to launch in 2027, features a distinctive donut shape with moving parts and a metal build, with a reported price tag of $300-$400. this pricing significantly undercuts competitors like the $249 sonos era 300 while aiming to establish a new category of high-end, voice-native ai devices. if successful, this physical integration of chatgpt could deepen user engagement and open new revenue streams, though the hardware market has historically challenged new entrants with low margins.