Apple explores AI wearable as OpenAI readies its first hardware device

Apple is reportedly developing its own artificial intelligence-powered wearable device, signalling a potential escalation in the emerging AI hardware market, according to a report published by The Information on Wednesday.

The device is described as a pin that users would wear on their clothing and is said to feature two cameras and three microphones, the report stated. If brought to market, the product would represent Apple’s entry into a category that has drawn growing interest as leading AI companies look beyond software.

The report follows comments made earlier this week by OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane, who told an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the company is likely to announce its first AI hardware product in the second half of this year. Separate reporting has suggested that OpenAI’s device could take the form of a pair of earbuds.

According to The Information, Apple’s proposed wearable is a thin, flat, circular disc with an aluminium-and-glass shell, which engineers are aiming to make roughly the same size as an AirTag, though slightly thicker. The pin is said to include two cameras, one with a standard lens and another with a wide-angle lens, along with a physical button, a speaker and a charging strip on the back similar to that found on Fitbit devices.

The report added that Apple may be seeking to accelerate development of the wearable in order to compete more directly with OpenAI’s forthcoming hardware. The device could potentially launch in 2027, with plans involving up to 20 million units at release. TechCrunch reported that it contacted Apple for comment.

However, it remains unclear whether consumers are ready to adopt this type of AI device. Two former Apple employees previously founded Humane AI, a start-up that launched an AI pin featuring built-in microphones and a camera. The product struggled after its release, and the company ultimately shut down operations and sold its assets to HP within two years of launching the device.