OpenAI Sells a $230 AI Agent Controller While Apple's Trade Theft Lawsuit Looms Over Its Hardware Push

OpenAI has made its first tangible move into consumer hardware with the Codex Micro, a $230 light-up keyboard built in collaboration with boutique keyboard maker Work Louder. The device is specifically engineered to work alongside Codex, OpenAI's AI coding assistant, and gives developers a tactile way to manage the semi-autonomous bots that can write and execute code with minimal human input. It marks a notable shift for a company that has, until now, existed almost entirely in the software and services space.

The Codex Micro comes loaded with a suite of specialized controls designed around agentic workflows. Its so-called Agent Keys illuminate to reflect the real-time status of active coding agents, while customizable Command Keys function as shortcuts for common Codex tasks. A built-in joystick enables quick launching of frequently used workflows, and a physical dial lets users tune agent reasoning levels — essentially controlling how much computing power and time an AI agent dedicates to a given problem. All of this is configurable through the ChatGPT desktop app.

OpenAI has been candid that the Micro is a limited-run collaboration rather than a mass-market product, positioning it more as a bold statement of intent than a serious retail play. The company described the keyboard as a 'command center for agentic work,' framing it as a vision of what AI-augmented developer environments could look like. For now, though, it reads as a high-end novelty for early adopters and enthusiasts who want a physical conversation piece to accompany their AI workflows.

Far more consequential, according to a Bloomberg report published Tuesday, is a separate OpenAI hardware device still under development. Described as a portable, screenless smart speaker with mechanical components capable of moving independently, the product sounds far more ambitious — and far less defined. OpenAI has not officially confirmed details, and Bloomberg notes the design remains subject to significant changes, leaving the tech community to speculate about what the final form might be.

The device in development is reportedly being designed by former Apple engineers, a detail that has landed OpenAI in serious legal trouble. Apple filed a lawsuit last week accusing OpenAI's senior leadership of orchestrating a deliberate effort to extract confidential company information, alleging that stolen trade secrets informed the development of OpenAI's hardware ambitions. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing, but the timing — launching consumer hardware while actively being sued over the personnel and knowledge used to build it — adds a combustible dimension to what is already a pivotal moment for the company.