OpenAI’s Bold Play for the Future of AI Hardware

OpenAI is quietly building momentum for its first hardware product, expected to arrive between 2026 and 2027. To make it happen, the company has been hiring aggressively from Apple. More than twenty engineers have already switched sides in 2025 alone. Among them are Cyrus Irani, who once designed sound experiences for Siri, and Eric de Jong, a former leader behind Apple Watch.

The reasons for leaving Apple sound strikingly similar. Former employees point to slow product updates, lackluster stock performance, and a feeling that Apple is clinging to the past. In contrast, OpenAI offers stock packages, fewer layers of bureaucracy, and the promise of building something entirely new.

A Tense Response from Cupertino

Apple is aware of the wave of departures. The concern grew so strong that the company recently canceled an off-site event in China. Instead, key staff were kept in California to limit further exits. For Apple, this shift is not just about losing talent. It signals a broader challenge of keeping pace with companies that are faster, leaner, and more daring.

A Glimpse of What’s Coming

What exactly OpenAI is building remains under wraps. Yet experts suggest it could be the first device designed specifically for large language models. Unlike a smartphone or laptop adapted for AI, this would be hardware created from the ground up to serve artificial intelligence. If successful, the product might even rival the iPhone in its cultural and technological impact.

The competition for the future of devices has begun, and OpenAI wants to lead.