OpenAI to launch smartphone running on AI agents instead of apps

 OpenAI to launch smartphone running on AI agents instead of apps

The commercial production of the ‘AI-first’ smartphone being built by ChatGPT maker OpenAI is set to begin in early 2027. According to technology market analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the production of this phone, which was previously expected to start production only in 2028, is currently progressing rapidly.

According to Kuo, if the production of this phone is completed on schedule, it is estimated that about 30 million units will be shipped to the market within 2027 and 2028. This number is similar to the first-year sales estimate of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series.

Although smartphones currently on the market have app-centric systems, OpenAI’s phone will be based entirely on ‘AI agents’. According to analyst Kuo, OpenAI is building its own separate hardware and operating system to support this model. This phone will use a customized version of MediaTek’s ‘Dimension 9600’ processor. The processor is expected to be released in the third quarter of 2026.

Former Apple chief designer Jony Ive has been with OpenAI's design department since July last year. However, there is no official information about whether he is working on the design of this new phone. According to information known to people outside the company or publicly stated, he is preparing to bring to the market either a 'Human AI Pin' or a screen-less wearable agent AI Pin like the 'Rabbit R One'. Or, he is making a smart speaker with a camera.

It remains to be seen whether the person who created the distinct identity of the iPhone design can continue the same legacy in future AI phones.