Meta and OpenAI plan AI hardware launches after soft-launching agents

Meta is preparing to launch a pendant-like hardware device before the 2026 holiday shopping season, designed to work with its Muse agent. The device, called the Muse Charm, features a screen displaying the cuddly-looking Muse AI agent, evoking comparisons to a Tamagotchi. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg described it as packing "a lot of technology into this little guy" and positioned it as a fast way to interact with Muse for users not wearing glasses.

OpenAI, meanwhile, is collaborating with former Apple designer Jony Ive on a dedicated hardware device. A public filing cited in the report suggests the device will ship no earlier than February 2027. During OpenAI’s DevDay 2026, CEO Sam Altman declined to confirm whether the company’s new Dots agent platform would appear in a future physical device, but called it "a very reasonable thing to assume we may do someday."

Both companies are pursuing a software-first strategy to prime the market. OpenAI debuted Dots, a platform of personalizable colored blobs with eyes, while Meta tied its hardware plans directly to the Muse agent. The approach mirrors past efforts by companies like Friend, but with a stronger emphasis on positioning agents as productivity tools rather than companion chatbots.

The strategy reflects lessons learned from earlier hardware flops, such as the Friend and Humane AI Pin, which faced frustration and backlash. Meta and OpenAI are betting that by first getting users accustomed to AI agents—proving they "really work now"—they can build demand for physical hardware. OpenAI’s head of core products, Thibault Sottiaux, said the company aims to evolve ChatGPT into an "incredible personal assistant" accessible via email, text, or phone call, blurring the lines between interfaces.

Sam Altman characterized Dots as an "always-on helper, collaborator" capable of handling large tasks and learning user preferences over time. However, the report notes lingering concerns, including Muse’s exploits on Facebook Marketplace and a Dots voice demo that went awry during DevDay, suggesting further refinement is needed before hardware launches.