Let’s take a look at what Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has said about making smart glasses.
In July 2025, after the Sun Valley Conference, a group of reporters spotted Sam Altman wearing white, thick sunglasses that looked exactly like smart glasses. When asked about them, his response was quite humorous. One reporter asked: “Why are you wearing smart glasses? Are these smart glasses?” He replied: “No, absolutely not. I don’t like smart glasses.”
This response only gained public attention 2–3 months later, after Sam Altman mentioned that OpenAI was venturing into hardware as well. Soon after, OpenAI acquired a company and its founder for over $6.5 billion. The person acquired was Jony Ive (Jonathan Paul Ive), a British-American designer best known for his work at Apple Inc., where he served as Senior Vice President of Industrial Design and Chief Design Officer. Ive is also the founder of LoveFrom, a creative collective that has collaborated with Ferrari, Airbnb, and other major brands.
OpenAI has stated that they are entering the hardware space, but hasn’t confirmed whether this involves smart glasses. However, reports from The Wall Street Journal suggest that Sam Altman told OpenAI staff the product would be a screenless, pocket-sized device. It might be a glass or another type of wearable gadget.
According to the latest reports, OpenAI is also working on a smart speaker. Based on Sam Altman’s words, the device could be pocket-sized, and the company has considered making glasses, a digital voice recorder, or a wearable pin. However, we’ll have to wait, as these devices are not expected to arrive until late 2026 or 2027.
Just imagine—if OpenAI and Sam Altman build such a smart glass device, companies like Apple, Google, and Meta could potentially fall behind. OpenAI deals with more personal data and advanced AI technologies than most competitors. Let’s wait and see what they unveil next.
