Sam Altman wants Samsung's help building an OpenAI phone rival

What is OpenAI's first AI device?

Altman also dropped hints about the first product. According to the report, it is a small smart speaker with no screen that fits in the palm of your hand. That matches rumours that OpenAI dropped the pin or wearable it first considered.

The idea itself is not new. Altman has talked about it for a while, including alongside Jony Ive, the designer OpenAI hired, along with other former Apple executives. In a conversation with Laurene Powell, Steve Jobs' widow, he said the device would be "elegantly simple, with a touch of whimsy". A year ago he said the first product was at prototype stage and could launch in 2027. Ive has said he likes devices that are "incredibly intelligent and sophisticated" yet that you want to touch and don't find intimidating.

Why Samsung?

The meeting was not only about hardware. Altman also urged Samsung to bet on OpenAI's AI tools. He said OpenAI has already started putting AI agents inside companies, and that tools like Codex reach higher levels of autonomy in some areas.

There is a rivalry behind this. The relationship between OpenAI and Apple is at a critical point after lawsuits over alleged theft of trade secrets. If Altman wants to dethrone the iPhone, he needs a partner with experience building phones at scale, and Samsung is one of the few that qualifies.