OpenAI has some big plans for 2026. The most important of them include a smart computer, which will be small, without a screen and work with voice commands. This would be ChatGPT rolled into a much smaller device. This is what is expected and now rumors about the device have started pointing towards some of its features. According to the leak, OpenAI has codenamed the device “Sweetpea” and it will be launched in 2026 i.e. this year.

Work on this device has been going on for the last few years. It all started in 2023 when OpenAI partnered with Jony Ive’s company. Ive, if the name isn’t a surprise, is the famous designer behind the iPhone and other iconic Apple devices. Now rumors are indicating that OpenAI and Ive are getting closer to the goal of creating a new type of computer that will be completely driven by voice and powered by ChatGPT. The device is likely to be of the same earbud size as the TWS buds, and is likely to challenge the Apple AirPods.

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Although it may seem like a device you can wear in the ears, the Sweetpea is rumored to be significantly more powerful than something like AirPods. Pikachu wrote on

According to reports, OpenAI has partnered with manufacturing giant Foxconn. The manufacturer is said to be ready for five different OpenAI hardware products by the end of 2028. The leak states that the Sweetpea may launch around September, the same month when Apple may also launch its iPhone 18 and iPhone Fold. The OpenAI goal for Sweetpea is likely to be ambitious as the company expects to sell around 40 to 50 million units in the first year.

Earbuds that work like computers

If OpenAI is indeed working on this project, it’s clearly not aimed at traditional earbuds. The leak suggests that the Sweetpea will be an “earphone-sized computer.”

On the design front, Sweetpea is said to have a “unique, never-before-seen” look, with its main body being made of metal and shaped like an “eggstone”. Inside it will be two capsule-like modules that users can remove and wear behind the ear. This behind-the-ear design will allow the device to provide a more secure fit and make room for advanced internal components.

Rumors suggest that a 2nm smartphone-class processor, possibly a Samsung Exynos chip, will power the device. There is also talk of OpenAI developing a custom chip that allows the device to “replace iPhone actions by commanding Siri”, suggesting that Sweetpea could act as an AI-powered control layer on Apple devices.

OpenAI Sweetpea will be expensive

This device seems ambitious and OpenAI is expected to be priced high given its unique and expensive technology. According to rumors, the bill of materials (BOM) for the Sweetpea is expected to be very high, with components closer to those used in smartphones rather than normal earbuds.

Although OpenAI hasn’t officially commented on these rumors, they do give us an insight into the ChatGPT-owner’s plans for its consumer hardware. And if Sweetpea does indeed launch as described, not only will it challenge Apple AirPods on sound quality or design, but it could change what people expect from in-ear devices, turning them into always-on AI companions rather than simple audio tools.