OpenAI is preparing to enter a battlefield it has never truly competed in before: Hardware. The company’s first AI device is expected to arrive in the second half of 2026, marking a major shift from being a software company to building an AI-powered consumer ecosystem. But before anyone holds the device in their hands, one question remains: Will OpenAI create the next generation of computing — or repeat the mistakes of previous AI hardware startups? A New Kind of Computer, Not Another Smartphone Unlike traditional devices built around screens, apps, and notifications, OpenAI’s product is reportedly designed around a different philosophy: AI first. The device, internally rumored to be codenamed “Gumdrop,” is being developed in collaboration with former Apple design chief Jony Ive. The repor