OpenAI is making a major push into audio AI, and this effort goes far beyond simply improving how ChatGPT sounds. According to new reporting from The Information, the company has recently unified several of its engineering, product, and research teams. This reorganization over the past two months is focused on overhauling its audio models, all in preparation for an audio-first personal device expected to launch in about a year.
This strategic move reflects a broader direction for the entire technology industry. The future appears to be one where screens fade into the background and audio takes center stage. Smart speakers have already made voice assistants common in more than a third of U.S. homes. Meta recently introduced a feature for its Ray-Ban smart glasses that uses a five-microphone array to help users hear conversations better in noisy environments, effectively turning the glasses into a directional listening device. Meanwhile, Google began experimenting last June with “Audio Overviews,” which transform search results into conversational summaries. Tesla is also integrating xAI’s chatbot Grok into its vehicles to create a conversational voice assistant that handles tasks from navigation to climate control through natural dialogue.
It is not only the large tech companies making this bet. A diverse group of startups has emerged with the same conviction, though with varying degrees of success. The makers of the Humane AI Pin spent hundreds of millions before their screenless wearable became a cautionary tale. The Friend AI pendant, a necklace designed to record your life and offer companionship, has sparked both privacy concerns and existential dread. Now, at least two companies, including Sandbar and one led by Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky, are building AI rings expected to debut in 2026, allowing wearers to literally talk to their hand.
While the form factors differ, the underlying thesis remains consistent: audio is the interface of the future. Every space, from your home and your car to even your face, is becoming a potential control surface.
OpenAI’s new audio model, slated for early 2026, is reported to sound more natural, handle interruptions like a real conversation partner, and even speak while the user is talking, a capability today’s models lack. The company is also said to envision a family of devices, possibly including glasses or screenless smart speakers, that act less like tools and more like companions.
This development is not entirely surprising. As The Information notes, former Apple design chief Jony Ive, who joined OpenAI’s hardware efforts following the company’s acquisition of his firm in May, has made reducing device addiction a priority. He sees audio-first design as an opportunity to correct the shortcomings of past consumer gadgets.