OpenAI has offered fresh clues about its highly anticipated AI-powered hardware project being developed in partnership with legendary former Apple designer Jony Ive.

Speaking at the Liquidity Summit event hosted by the All-In podcast team in California, OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar described the upcoming product as “very natural” to use, while acknowledging that it remains difficult to define.

Friar said the device feels intuitive and instantly appealing, suggesting that it is designed to create a fundamentally different interaction between users and artificial intelligence. However, she declined to confirm speculation that the product could take the form of an earbud or audio-based wearable.

She praised Ive’s design team for its ability to humanize technology, noting that users can sense the design philosophy immediately upon seeing and using the product.

Her comments align with previous reports suggesting OpenAI is developing an entirely new category of AI-first hardware, moving beyond conventional smartphones and wearable devices. Earlier reports indicated the company has explored multiple prototypes, including a smart pen capable of recording and analyzing notes through ChatGPT, as well as a voice-focused device for on-the-go use.

Industry leaks have referred to the project internally as “Gumdrop,” describing a screenless device that relies on voice and contextual awareness to function as an always-available AI companion.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously ruled out the possibility that the product is a smartphone. Legal filings related to a dispute involving hardware startup io also suggested the company’s first device would neither be a hearing aid nor a traditional wearable.

Friar confirmed that she has personally tested the device and said OpenAI plans to unveil it before the end of this year, although earlier legal documents suggested commercial shipments may not begin until February 2027.

Altman has described the project as the company’s most ambitious hardware effort to date, with a long-term goal of shipping 100 million units faster than any previous consumer technology launch.

The project reflects Ive’s long-standing design philosophy of reducing friction between people and technology, creating products that feel less like gadgets and more like natural extensions of everyday life.