OpenAI is significantly investing in audio AI, extending beyond just improving ChatGPT’s voice. Recent reports from The Information reveal that over the last two months, the company has consolidated its engineering, product, and research teams to enhance its audio models, anticipating the release of an audio-centric personal device within approximately a year.
This shift mirrors a broader trend across the tech sector: a future where visual displays recede, and audio becomes the primary interaction method. Voice assistants are already common in over a third of U.S. households, thanks to smart speakers. Meta recently introduced a function for its Ray-Ban smart glasses, utilizing a five-microphone setup to improve conversation clarity in loud environments, effectively making your face a precise listening tool. Concurrently, Google started testing “Audio Overviews” in June, which convert search outcomes into spoken summaries. Tesla is also incorporating Grok and other large language models into its vehicles to develop interactive voice assistants capable of managing tasks from navigation to climate control via natural conversation.
This commitment isn’t exclusive to major tech firms. A diverse group of startups shares this belief, though with mixed results. The creators of the Humane AI Pin spent hundreds of millions before their screenless device became a warning story. The Friend AI pendant, a necklace designed to log your life and provide company, has provoked both privacy worries and profound anxieties in equal measure. Furthermore, at least two companies, including Sandbar and a venture led by Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky, are developing AI rings set to launch in 2026, enabling users to interact via hand gestures and voice.
While their designs vary, the underlying premise remains constant: audio represents the future of user interfaces. Every environment—your residence, vehicle, and even your face—is evolving into an interactive surface.
OpenAI’s upcoming audio model, anticipated in early 2026, is expected to offer more lifelike speech, manage interruptions akin to human conversation, and even speak concurrently with the user, a capability current models lack. The company reportedly plans a suite of devices, potentially including smart glasses or screenless speakers, designed to function more as companions than mere utilities.
The Information highlights that Jony Ive, former Apple design head, who became part of OpenAI’s hardware initiatives following the May $6.5 billion acquisition of his company io, is prioritizing the reduction of device dependence. He views audio-first design as an opportunity to rectify issues associated with previous consumer electronics.