OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has officially entered the hardware market with its first physical product, the Codex Micro. The new device is a small mechanical control keypad designed specifically for developers using the Codex AI coding platform. With the launch, OpenAI has opened a new revenue stream beyond its core chatbot subscriptions.
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The move also pushes the AI firm into the territory of global tech giant Apple (AAPL), which has long dominated the hardware market. The timing of Codex Micro’s debut is notable too, since it comes just days after Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI.
OpenAI Releases Codex Micro Hardware Control Device
OpenAI’s Codex Micro was created through a partnership with keypad and hardware maker Work Louder. The device is being sold through OpenAI’s Supply Co. store as part of the Work Louder Co-Lab project.
Codex Micro costs $230 and is designed for people who regularly use AI coding agents and want faster, easier ways to control them. Instead of relying on a mouse or keyboard shortcuts, developers can use OpenAI’s new physical device to manage Codex tasks, adjust settings, and approve or reject AI-generated answers.
OpenAI said Codex Micro is designed as a “command center” for AI-powered work, as more users rely on AI agents to complete tasks. The company also believes physical controls could become more useful as AI systems advance.
OpenAI Launches New Device Amid Apple Lawsuit
Meanwhile, OpenAI’s Codex Micro launch comes just days after the AI firm was hit with a legal dispute with Apple over trade secret theft allegations. The tech giant sued OpenAI in a Northern California federal court on July 10, accusing the ChatGPT creator of using confidential data from former Apple staff to help build its competing hardware device.
In response, OpenAI has denied Apple’s allegations. An OpenAI spokesperson said the firm has “no interest in other companies’ trade secrets.” The AI company has also argued that employees have the right to move between firms.
Meanwhile, Apple’s suit is seeking injunctive relief and damages. The tech giant has asked the court to compensate it for the alleged theft and to bar OpenAI from using any of its trade secrets going forward.
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