OpenAI’s first gadget may be a $400 ChatGPT donut

OpenAI’s first hardware product may look less like a smartphone or speaker than a donut-shaped computer. ITzine, citing Gizmochina, reports that the device could be roughly the size of a hockey puck, with a projected price of $300 to $400 and a launch targeted for 2027.

The reported design is a physical extension of ChatGPT rather than a conventional screen-based gadget. It would reportedly use a metal body, battery, camera, sensors, speakers, microphones, and status indicators that show when it is listening. The device could sit on a bedside table, kitchen counter, or desk, while also being portable enough to carry around the home.

The concept may include moving components that visually indicate how the device is responding to a request. That would give the hardware a way to communicate without relying on a display. ITzine also reports that OpenAI sees this as potentially the first of several devices, though no broader product roadmap was provided.

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OpenAI’s reported hardware plans

The concept arrives as OpenAI’s hardware ambitions face scrutiny from Apple. Apple has reportedly sent legal letters to 40 former employees now working at OpenAI as part of a trade-secrets dispute involving the company’s hardware plans; our earlier coverage of Apple’s legal challenge to OpenAI’s hardware ambitions provides that context.

For US and European buyers, the reported price would put the device below many premium consumer electronics products, but the comparison is still limited: OpenAI has not described its final capabilities, subscription requirements, or how the gadget would differ from existing ChatGPT access on phones and computers.

GPT-5.6 updates

Alongside the hardware report, OpenAI has updated GPT-5.6 in two variants:

• GPT-5.6 Sol adds dynamic response length, adjusting how much it answers based on query complexity. Plus and Pro subscribers also get a new reasoning slider.
• GPT-5.6 Luna becomes the default model for free users and Go subscribers. It adds unlimited text chats and a Think button for deeper reasoning.
• OpenAI says the update produces roughly 68% fewer factual errors, but the reporting does not provide benchmark methodology or independent verification for that figure.

OpenAI has also tightened protections for users under 18. Romantic role-play, age-restricted content, and requests related to self-harm are blocked for those users.

The hardware story is potentially more substantial than a cosmetic ChatGPT accessory: the reported camera, sensors, microphones, and moving elements point to a dedicated ambient interface. But the key facts remain unconfirmed—the company has not announced a final design, price, or release date—so the $300–$400 figure and 2027 launch should be treated as reported targets, not a product commitment.