OpenAI's first AI device could actually be a phone that launches sooner than you think.
According to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on X, Open is "fast-tracking" the development of its AI agent phone with mass production possibly kicking off in early 2027. Kuo also supplied a surprising number of specifications that could appear in the phone.
【Industry Check Update】OpenAI appears to be fast-tracking its first AI agent phone, with mass production targeted as early as 1H27. Potential drivers include supporting a year-end IPO narrative and intensifying competition in AI agent phones. MediaTek currently appears better… https://t.co/wtumZ4XgA7May 5, 2026
In late April, Kuo claimed that OpenAI was working with both MediaTek and Qualcomm on processors for the AI phone. This new tweet indicates that OpenAI picked MediaTek as its sole silicon supplier.
Specifically, he says the OpenAI phone could use a customized version of the Dimensity 9600 chip, built on TSMC's 2nm process.
But the "headline spec" of the ChatGPT phone could be its image signal processor, which will feature an "enhanced HDR pipeline" that improves real-world sensing, meaning what the AI "sees" through the device's camera. Kuo alleges that the device will use two AI processors for handling different tasks.
The ChatGPT phone should feature fast LPDDR6 memory and storage plus "pKVM" for security to isolate processes.
As Kuo noted last month, "Only by fully controlling both the operating system and hardware can OpenAI deliver a comprehensive AI agent service."
Kuo claims that starting in 2027, OpenAI could ship around 30 million devices.
Where does this leave other OpenAI-built AI devices?
Up to now, OpenAI has been rumored to be developing at least five other AI-powered devices, including earbuds, speakers, smart glasses, a smart pen and a Humane AI-esque pin.
Late last year, CEO Sam Altman hyped mysterious AI hardware he described as a "third core device" that would live alongside your laptop and smartphone. It's supposed to be wearable and screen-free. The device is supposedly being designed by Jony Ive's design firm LoveFrom, which OpenAI acquired in May of 2025.
However, the most recent rumors point to Ive's team developing a smart speaker a la Apple's HomePod. A hardware leak from January revealed the earbuds, which could arrive in September.
OpenAI is rumored to be developing so many AI devices that it's not entirely clear which one is close to launch at this point. Our earliest guess is earbuds in September, followed by a phone in mid-2027.
