((Automated translation by Reuters using machine learning and generative artificial intelligence, see the following disclaimer: (added clarification and context to paragraphs 2, 6 and 7)
OpenAI is preparing to release a screenless, portable connected speaker that will be its first hardware product aimed at the general public, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday, days after Apple sued the artificial intelligence startup and two former employees of the iPhone maker for stealing trade secrets.
Apple’s AAPL.O complaint, filed Friday, accuses OpenAI of orchestrating a broad operation to systematically obtain and use Apple’s confidential information through its former employees, hiring practices and supplier relationships to speed its entry into the consumer hardware market.
OpenAI’s device could open up a new source of revenue for the company as it prepares to go public. Last year, the company paid $6.5 billion to buy io, an artificial intelligence device startup founded by former Apple design director Jony Ive to develop devices for the age of generative artificial intelligence.
The speaker-like product is still in development and is intended to act as a human artificial companion in the home, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter.
According to the report, it will be able to control connected home devices, play media, answer questions, respond to messages, and take advantage of OpenAI’s advanced ChatGPT capabilities.
According to Bloomberg News, the device includes a camera and sensors that will allow it to understand the user’s environment and context, as well as advanced artificial intelligence models beyond those available on traditional smart speakers.
Quince’s LoveFrom studio is also helping develop OpenAI’s device business, and the project involves many former Apple designers and engineers who worked on products such as the iPhone and Mac, the report said.
OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.