HomeOpenAI unveils $230 Codex keyboard amid hardware legal battle
OpenAI is officially entering the hardware market with the release of a $230 illuminated keyboard designed for its AI coding assistant, Codex.
The Codex Micro, created in collaboration with keyboard specialist Work Louder, is marketed as a stylish new way for ChatGPT users to oversee their fleets of AI coding agents — semi-autonomous bots that can write and execute code with minimal human intervention.
The device features illuminated "Agent Keys" that display agent status, customizable Command Keys that serve as shortcuts for frequent Codex actions, and a joystick for initiating typical workflows. It also includes a dial that controls how much "reasoning" — essentially, the time and computing power — an agent applies to a specific task (agent reasoning level).
The concept is that, rather than managing your agents through a phone or desktop app, you can now use the Micro as a "command center for agentic work," according to OpenAI. It will also likely look impressive on your desk. The device can be controlled and customized through the ChatGPT desktop app.
Image credit:OpenAI
OpenAI told TechCrunch in an email that the Micro is a limited-edition collaboration, indicating it is more of a novelty item than a product for mass consumption. It appears to be a flashy gadget intended to mark the company's entry into the hardware market.
More significant hardware news came on Tuesday. A yet-to-be-released OpenAI device, as revealed by Bloomberg, appears to be designed for the long term. It is described as a portable, screenless smart speaker that integrates with ChatGPT and features "mechanical elements that can move on their own."
At this point, it's hard to envision how all those disparate details — screenless, portable, moving parts — will combine into a coherent product (OpenAI isn't commenting). However, it presents an intriguing picture, at the very least. It also seems far from finished. The Bloomberg report notes that the item is still in development and could change.
This new device is reportedly being designed by former Apple engineers — a company that is currently suing OpenAI for trade secret theft.
That connection has not gone unnoticed, especially by Apple. Apple sued OpenAI last week, accusing the company's senior leadership of a deliberate strategy to extract its confidential information; it alleges that OpenAI used that information in developing its own hardware device. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing.
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OpenAI is officially entering the hardware market with the release of a $230 illuminated keyboard designed for its AI coding assistant, Codex.
The Codex Micro, created in collaboration with keyboard specialist Work Louder, is marketed as a stylish new way for ChatGPT users to oversee their fleets of AI coding agents — semi-autonomous bots that can write and execute code with minimal human intervention.
The device features illuminated "Agent Keys" that display agent status, customizable Command Keys that serve as shortcuts for frequent Codex actions, and a joystick for initiating typical workflows. It also includes a dial that controls how much "reasoning" — essentially, the time and computing power — an agent applies to a specific task (agent reasoning level).
The concept is that, rather than managing your agents through a phone or desktop app, you can now use the Micro as a "command center for agentic work," according to OpenAI. It will also likely look impressive on your desk. The device can be controlled and customized through the ChatGPT desktop app.
Image credit:OpenAI
OpenAI told TechCrunch in an email that the Micro is a limited-edition collaboration, indicating it is more of a novelty item than a product for mass consumption. It appears to be a flashy gadget intended to mark the company's entry into the hardware market.
More significant hardware news came on Tuesday. A yet-to-be-released OpenAI device, as revealed by Bloomberg, appears to be designed for the long term. It is described as a portable, screenless smart speaker that integrates with ChatGPT and features "mechanical elements that can move on their own."
At this point, it's hard to envision how all those disparate details — screenless, portable, moving parts — will combine into a coherent product (OpenAI isn't commenting). However, it presents an intriguing picture, at the very least. It also seems far from finished. The Bloomberg report notes that the item is still in development and could change.
This new device is reportedly being designed by former Apple engineers — a company that is currently suing OpenAI for trade secret theft.
That connection has not gone unnoticed, especially by Apple. Apple sued OpenAI last week, accusing the company's senior leadership of a deliberate strategy to extract its confidential information; it alleges that OpenAI used that information in developing its own hardware device. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing.
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