It’s been a hot minute since we were reminded that OpenAI‘s Sam Altman had teamed up with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to create a dedicated AI device. That might have something to do with reports that the device was struggling to find its footing as of October last year. Fresh rumours have surfaced, courtesy of Smart Pikachu on X, claiming the device will take the form of “unique, unseen before”… earbuds.
Stop listening to Alt rock, Man
Altman and Ive’s lovechild, formerly known as ‘io’ before a trademark dispute forced the two to fold the company into OpenAI, will apparently attempt to “replace” the AirPod with its own buds, codenamed “Sweetpea”. The tipster claims that the main device — likely the charging case — will be made of metal, and “resembling [the] shape of [an] eggstone,” while the buds themselves will sit behind the ear, as in the image above.
OpenAI doesn’t just hope to displace the AirPods in the market. It plans to actually replace it. If the rumours are true, the new earbuds will pack in a custom “2nm smartphone-style chip (Exynos most favored)” that was specifically built to control an iPhone by “commanding Siri”, which will soon be powered by Gemini. Bubble? What bubble?
Read More: Subtle’s Voicebuds promise “personal voice computing” that relies on (you guessed it) AI
He goes on to say that the BOM (bill of materials) is likely to be high, similar to that of a smartphone, but “device function is said to be stronger.” We never had high hopes that an AI-first anything from Sam Altman would be cheap, but this seemingly confirms our fears. It appears the device is targeting a September 2026 release.
A pair of AI-powered earbuds isn’t all OpenAI and Ive have on the menu. There are currently as many as five devices in development, with the company allegedly involving Foxconn to ensure these are ready by Q4 2028. It’s still unclear what those devices are, exactly, though the leaker mentions that a “home style device” and even the long-rumoured pen are still on the table.
