OpenAI merges internal teams to fix audio AI accuracy gap ahead of ChatGPT hardware push

OpenAI is building its planned ChatGPT hardware around conversation. To make that work, the company is pouring resources into improving its audio AI models, according to The Information. Over the past two months, OpenAI has combined several internal teams to focus on audio.

Right now, OpenAI's audio models can't match the accuracy and response speed of their text-based counterparts, according to current and former employees. A new audio model architecture in development aims to sound more natural and emotional, deliver more accurate answers, and handle real-time back-and-forth conversation. OpenAI is targeting a release in the first quarter of 2026. Kundan Kumar, a researcher the company recruited from Character.AI, is leading the effort.

The actual devices are likely a long way off. OpenAI is reportedly working on several products, including glasses and a smart speaker without a screen. Last year, the company acquired io, the startup cofounded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, for nearly $6.5 billion to help with development. The goal behind all this hardware is to build a "super AI assistant" that becomes as central to daily life as the smartphone.