OpenAI's first hardware device will be a speaker, Bloomberg News reports

OpenAI is preparing to enter the consumer hardware market with a screenless speaker as its inaugural product, according to a Bloomberg News report citing sources familiar with the matter.

This planned hardware release comes shortly after Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two former employees. Apple alleges that OpenAI misappropriated its trade secrets to develop its artificial intelligence technologies, particularly in the realm of consumer hardware. This legal action marks a significant escalation in the simmering tensions between the two prominent technology companies.

The development signals OpenAI's ambition to expand beyond its software and AI model offerings, venturing into physical products. While details about the speaker's functionalities and market positioning remain scarce, its introduction could signal a new competitive front between OpenAI and Apple, especially given Apple's own strong presence in smart speaker and home device markets.