Talking to your computer instead of typing to it might sound like a sci-fi fantasy, but OpenAI is betting big on it. In a chat with Joanna Stern on her YouTube channel, OpenAI president Greg Brockman confirmed that the company is not stopping at just one gadget. Get ready, because a whole family of devices is on the way.
When Stern brought up rumors of an AI smart speaker, Brockman did not confirm or deny it. Instead, he said, “we’re building a family of devices,” adding that the focus is not on any single product but on delivering value over time. As for a launch date, Brockman kept things just as mysterious, only saying, “you should expect them soon.”
Is Apple’s lawsuit going to delay the launch?
Given that OpenAI is reportedly working with former Apple design chief Jony Ive on these devices, and Apple has sued the company over alleged trade secret theft, the question was unavoidable. Brockman would not get into details since it is active litigation, but he made it clear that OpenAI is not losing sleep over it. He said the company is “focused on our own development and technology,” adding, “we have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We are plenty innovative.”
Why does OpenAI think we will stop typing?
Brockman also explained where this hardware ambition comes from. He believes talking will soon replace typing for most of what we do with our devices, calling it a far more natural way to interact with a machine.
He even brought up the soundproof “beak” masks some office workers wear so they can talk to their computer without bothering everyone around them. He does not use one himself, but admits it “shows you where there’s product market fit,” even if it looks a little silly.
On the trust front, Brockman said OpenAI is investing in technology that offers verifiable and auditable guarantees, ensuring only the AI reviews your private data. This should ease some of the concerns swirling around how private ChatGPT‘s temporary chat mode really is.