OpenAI may build a phone where AI agents replace traditional apps

OpenAI’s big phone rumor explained

You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT. Now imagine a phone built around the same company’s AI technology. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, OpenAI may be working on an AI-first smartphone where agents handle tasks more directly, reducing the need to jump between apps.

This rumored OpenAI smartphone would let users ask for what they need in natural language. Booking a flight, sending a gift, or planning a trip could become less about opening separate apps and more about asking an AI agent to help complete the task.

Who’s helping build this phone?

Building a phone from scratch takes serious partners. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, OpenAI may work with Qualcomm and MediaTek on smartphone processors for the reported AI-first device.

Kuo also said Luxshare, a major Apple supplier, would be the exclusive system design and manufacturing partner. Luxshare already assembles iPhones and makes AirPods, which is one reason this supply chain rumor is being taken seriously.

So how would an app-less phone work?

Imagine using your phone by asking for outcomes instead of opening one app after another. Kuo’s reported concept is an AI-first smartphone where agents become the main interface for completing tasks.

You might ask the phone to help plan travel, manage messages, or coordinate information across services. The idea is not fully detailed yet, but the goal appears to be a phone experience built around natural-language requests rather than traditional app-by-app navigation.

When could you actually buy this thing?

Don’t start saving your allowance just yet. This phone isn’t coming next month. According to Kuo, the final design and parts list will be locked in by late 2026 or early 2027.

Mass production is expected to start in 2028. That means you’re looking at roughly two years from now. Plenty of time for other companies to copy the idea or for OpenAI to change its mind. But if it happens, it could change how we all use our phones.

Fun fact: Kuo projects the phone could ship 300 to 400 million units per year if it succeeds. That would actually beat Apple’s current iPhone sales.

Why does OpenAI want its own phone?

Right now, ChatGPT mainly runs as an app or integrated service on platforms controlled by Apple and Google. Kuo’s reported argument is that owning the hardware and software stack could give OpenAI more room to design AI features with deeper system integration.

That could make an AI agent more useful for tasks involving calendars, messages, location, and other phone functions, assuming users grant permission. It could also help OpenAI build a smoother experience without relying as heavily on the limits of existing mobile operating systems.

Remember the Humane Pin and Rabbit R1?

You might recall the Humane AI Pin or the Rabbit R1. Both tried to reimagine how people interact with AI hardware, and both showed how hard it is to make a new AI device people actually keep using.

The Humane AI Pin was discontinued after poor reviews and HP’s acquisition of Humane’s assets, while Rabbit said it sold more than 100,000 R1 units but later faced questions about low active usage.

So why might OpenAI have a better chance? ChatGPT now has more than 900 million weekly active users, giving OpenAI a level of consumer reach that those startups did not have. Still, the reported phone remains unconfirmed, and the failures of earlier AI gadgets show how difficult this category can be.

Fun fact: Jony Ive himself called the Humane Pin and Rabbit R1 very poor products that showed an absence of new ways of thinking. 

Two hardware projects at the same time

Here’s where it gets a little confusing. OpenAI already has a confirmed hardware effort connected to Jony Ive and io Products, while Kuo’s newer report points to a separate possible AI-first smartphone project.

The Jony Ive-linked device is expected to be different from a traditional phone, with reports describing a screenless companion-style product. Meanwhile, the rumored phone would keep the familiar smartphone shape but shift the experience toward AI agents instead of conventional app navigation.

This could really shake up Apple and Google

Apple and Google have shaped the smartphone era through iOS, Android, and their app ecosystems. A successful AI-first phone from OpenAI could challenge that model by making agents a bigger part of how people complete tasks.

That does not mean apps, subscriptions, or storage limits would disappear overnight. But if users start relying on AI agents instead of opening individual apps, it could pressure Apple and Google to rethink how their mobile platforms work.

The privacy question you’re probably asking

A phone built around AI agents would raise obvious privacy questions. If an agent helps with travel, messages, reminders, or recommendations, users would need clear control over what data it can access and when.

OpenAI would have to earn trust with strong privacy settings, transparent activity logs, and clear permission controls. Without those protections, many people may hesitate to use a phone that depends so heavily on personal context.

How the AI brain actually works on the phone

According to reporting on Kuo’s note, the rumored device could use a mix of smaller on-device AI models and more powerful cloud-based models. That kind of setup would let some tasks run locally while more complex requests could rely on remote AI systems.

The technical challenge would be balancing speed, privacy, battery life, and memory use. For an AI-first phone to work well, the hardware and software would need to support frequent AI processing without making the device slow, hot, or power-hungry.

Why supply chain experts actually believe this

Ming-Chi Kuo is not just a random tech rumor account. Reuters describes him as a Taiwan-based TF International Securities analyst known for accurate predictions about Apple products.

That track record is why his report about Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Luxshare is getting attention. Luxshare already assembles iPhones and makes AirPods, so its reported involvement gives the rumor more supply-chain credibility, even though the companies have not confirmed the project.

Who else is racing to make an AI phone?

OpenAI would not be alone in trying to make phones more AI-driven. Google has been adding Gemini features to Pixel phones, Samsung has expanded Galaxy AI features powered partly by Google’s Gemini, and Apple has been working on Apple Intelligence, although some major Siri upgrades were delayed to 2026.

SpaceX’s spectrum deal is better understood as a satellite-to-phone connectivity move, not an AI-phone project. Still, the broader trend is clear: major tech companies are trying to make the next generation of phones more context-aware, more automated, and more AI-focused.

Want to see how OpenAI plans to turn all this momentum into a business? Take a look at how ChatGPT is being prepared for its first ads.

Should you care about an AI phone?

Honestly? You might not need to switch right away. But you should pay attention. If OpenAI or another company makes AI agents work well on phones, future iPhones and Android devices could borrow parts of the idea.

That could mean less tapping, less hunting through settings, and more asking your phone to handle tasks directly. Whether you’re 15 or 70, that shift could change how phones feel in daily life.

Want to see how quickly this technology is already raising real-world questions? Take a look at Florida’s inquiry into OpenAI.

What’s your take on a phone with no apps, cool idea, or too creepy? Drop a comment below and hit like if you enjoyed this slideshow.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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