Not a phone, not a pin: ChatGPT creator could be making an AI pen instead

ChatGPT creator OpenAI could be soon coming up with an AI-powered pen. Here's what leaks say.

Former Apple design chief Jony Ive’s firm IO was acquired by ChatGPT creator OpenAI in 2025. Since then, there have been rumblings about a new AI-powered device that the Sam Altman-led company is set to create in collaboration with Jony Ive.

ChatGPT Pen, anyone? (REUTERS)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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Many reports have doubted that it will be a smartphone, which would be a big departure from what we have today on the Android and iOS sides of things. Some have suggested that it could be a smart pin, similar to the Humane AI Pin, but not cloud-based. However, based on leaks by tipster Smart Pikachu on X, it could indeed end up being an AI pen. Yes, a pen, not a pin. There is another device as well, which could be an audio device. Here are the details.

Project “Gumdrop”: Details

The tipster says that the device has an internal codename, Gumdrop, within OpenAI. Coming to supply chain updates, the project was reportedly assigned to Luxshare, but is now being moved to Foxconn due to a dispute over the manufacturing site location. The key reason is that OpenAI does not want the device to be manufactured in China. At present, the potential manufacturing location is Vietnam, alongside an FXC USA site.

The tipster also mentions that there are currently three projects in total under evaluation. The first one is a pen. The second one is a “to-go” audio device. And yes, it is not a typo. It is not a pin, but a pen. The tipster confirmed this in a post on X. Several details have been shared, including the fact that they do not know how fast the project is moving. There are also concerns about the tariffs that the US has imposed on China.

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