OpenAI's ‘Sweetpea’ earbuds to challenge Apple AirPods

OpenAI is reportedly preparing to enter the consumer hardware space with a new pair of AI-powered earbuds designed to rival Apple AirPods. 

Internally codenamed “Sweetpea,” the project signals the company’s most ambitious hardware push yet.

The Sam Altman-led firm has long hinted at moving beyond software, and its collaboration with legendary designer Jony Ive has fueled speculation around upcoming devices. 

According to well-known tipster Smart Pikachu on X (formerly Twitter), OpenAI’s first major audio product aims to stand out with a design unlike anything currently on the market.

The earbuds will feature a metal main unit shaped like an “eggstone.” Inside this, there would be two pill-shaped components that rest behind the user’s ears, offering a distinct alternative to traditional in-ear designs. 

Powering the earbuds could be a cutting-edge 2nm smartphone-class processor, reportedly similar to Samsung’s Exynos chips. 

The processor has been designed to handle advanced AI tasks, potentially replacing common iPhone actions that currently rely on Siri-style voice commands.

The tipster also claimed that the bill of materials for the Sweetpea earbuds could rival that of a smartphone, suggesting the product will be positioned at the higher end of the market rather than as a mass-market accessory.

As for timing, OpenAI is targeting a September 2026 launch, with first-year production volumes projected between 40 and 50 million units. 

Moreover, there is speculation that OpenAI has partnered with Foxconn to prepare all five devices for market release by the fourth quarter of 2028.