OpenAI accelerates audio AI push with new model launch planned for early 2026

Report: OpenAI plans to launch new audio model in the first quarter - SiliconANGLE

Report: OpenAI plans to launch new audio model in the first quarter OpenAI Group PBC is reportedly developing a new artificial intelligence model optimized for audio generation tasks. The Information today cited sources as saying that the algorithm will launch by the end of March. According to the publication, it's expected to produce more natural-sounding speech than OpenAI's current models. The AI will also be better at handling real-time back-and-forth interactions with users. OpenAI will reportedly base the model on a new architecture. The company's current flagship real-time audio model, GPT-realtime, uses the ubiquitous transformer architecture. It's unclear whether the company will pivot to an entirely different algorithm design or simply adopt a new transformer implementation. Some transformer-based audio models process speech directly. Others, such as the Whisper algorithm that OpenAI released in 2022, turn audio files into graphs called spectrograms before processing them. Whisper and the company's newer audio models are all available in multiple editions with varying output quality. It's possible OpenAI will also offer multiple versions of the algorithm it's expected to release this quarter. The company has reportedly combined several engineering, product and research teams to support its audio model push. The initiative is said to be led by Kundan Kumar, a former researcher at venture-backed AI provider Character.AI Inc. Many of the startup's other staffers joined Google LLC in late 2024 as part of a $2.7 billion reverse acquihire. It's possible OpenAI's upcoming model will not focus solely on speech generation use cases. The nascent AI-generated music segment is currently experiencing rapid growth: the Wall Street Journal recently reported that one market player, startup Suno Inc., is generating more than $200 million in annual revenue. Joining the fray may help OpenAI boost its consumer business. The upcoming audio model is part of a broader effort on the company's part to enter the consumer electronics market. According to The Information, OpenAI plans to launch an "audio-first personal device" in about a year. It's believed the company could eventually introduce an entire portfolio of devices complete with a smart speaker and smart glasses. Last May, OpenAI acquired product design startup io Products Inc. to support its consumer hardware push. The transaction valued the Jony Ive-founded startup at $6.5 billion. In October, the Financial Times reported that Ive is working on a smartphone-sized device that is designed to sit on a desk or table. OpenAI may seek to develop a lightweight, on-device audio model to support its move into consumer hardware. Processing prompts locally is more cost-efficient than sending them to the cloud. Google has taken a similar approach with its Pixel smartphone series, which uses an on-device model called Gemini Nano to power some AI features.

OpenAI ramps up audio AI efforts ahead of new device launch: Report

A tipster recently shared that OpenAI and Ive's are working on a device that could be a pen or "a 'to-go' audio device. OpenAI is reportedly accelerating its work on audio AI as it prepares to launch a new personal device expected in about a year. According to Information, the company has merged several engineering, product, and research teams over the past two months to overhaul its audio models, signalling a major shift toward voice-first technology. At the centre of this push is a new audio model planned for early 2026. The model is expected to sound more natural, deal with interruptions smoothly, and even speak while a user is talking, which today's AI systems still struggle with. OpenAI is also said to be exploring a lineup of devices, possibly including screenless speakers or smart glasses, designed to act more like companions than traditional gadgets. Also read: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max price drops by over Rs 16,000: How to grab this deal This move fits into a much broader trend across the tech industry. Many companies now believe audio will become the main way people interact with technology, with screens fading into the background. Voice assistants are already common, with smart speakers used in more than a third of US homes, reports TechCrunch. Former Apple design chief Jony Ive, now involved in OpenAI's hardware efforts through the company's acquisition of his firm io, sees audio-first design as a way to reduce screen addiction and "right the wrongs" of past consumer devices. Also read: Instagram head Adam Mosseri says era of believing images is over as AI advances In related news, a tipster recently shared that OpenAI and Ive's are working on a device that could be a pen or "a 'to-go' audio device." The tipster also claimed that the gadget will likely be manufactured by Foxconn, the same company that builds iPhones.