OpenAI Reportedly Developing AI Headphones Codenamed "Sweetpea"
According to supply chain sources, OpenAI is making its first foray into hardware with a set of AI-powered headphones. The project, termed as an important hardware project internally, is codenamed "Sweetpea" and is pitched to compete with Apple's AirPods.
Design and Form Factor
The product is said to have been designed by Jony Ive, formerly Apple's chief design officer. The sparse details indicate an alternative form factor that departs from traditional earbuds or plugs. The charging case supposedly looks distinctly like a smooth stone harboring two capsules that are worn behind the ears.
Hardware and Manufacturing
The device will likely have a chip customized for smartphone-level performance fabricated on an advanced 2-nanonmeter process. Although a Samsung Exynos processor remains a likely contender, sources speculated that OpenAI is also working on a proprietary processor for the device. Foxconn will likely be the production company.
Release and Future Plans
An announcement regarding the AI headphones is set to take place possibly as soon as September 2026. OpenAI has even set ambitious sales targets, estimating 40-50 million units to be sold every year.
This initiative is part of OpenAI's hardware strategy, which includes plans to introduce five different devices by the end of 2028, including the "Sweetpea" headphones and a stylus.
