OpenAI’s first hardware is here, but it’s not a smartphone:Designed for the company’s AI coding assistant, it packs 13 keys, a joystick, and touch-sensitive controls

When people hear that OpenAI is working on hardware, most immediately think of the much-rumoured AI phone being developed with former Apple designer Jony Ive. But the company’s first hardware product is something completely different. Instead of launching a smartphone, OpenAI is introducing a compact micro pad built for developers who use its AI coding assistant, Codex. The new device, called ‘Codex Micro,’ was unveiled during the AI Engineer World Fair in San Francisco and is being developed in partnership with keyboard accessories company Work Louder. OpenAI’s first hardware is a Codex Micro pad OpenAI has officially shown off the Codex Micro, marking the company’s first hardware product under its own branding. The device has been created with ‘Work Louder,’ a company best known for making mechanical keyboards and programmable macro pads with custom keys, dials and switches that help users work faster. However, if you were expecting OpenAI’s first gadget to be its rumoured AI phone, this is not it. The Codex Micro is a separate product and is not related to the AI hardware projects that OpenAI is developing with former Apple design chief Jony Ive. What exactly is the Codex Micro? The Codex Micro is a small programmable keypad designed to make using OpenAI’s AI coding assistant, Codex, quicker and easier. According to The Verge, OpenAI spokesperson Dominik Kundel described the device as a keyboard “designed to supercharge people’s Codex usage.” From what has been shown so far, the Codex Micro looks very similar to Work Louder’s existing Creator Micro 2. That device includes: Users can assign custom shortcuts and actions to these controls for different applications. Also read: Your brain activity can now turn into text without typing: Meta unveils ‘Brain2Qwerty’ AI system that will help patients with neurological disorders

How will it help developers? OpenAI has not shared the complete list of features yet, but the Codex Micro is expected to include dedicated shortcuts for the Codex coding assistant. Instead of constantly switching between windows, copying commands, or clicking through menus, developers may be able to trigger Codex functions directly from the physical controller. This could make coding workflows faster and more convenient. Exactly what exclusive features OpenAI has added compared to the regular Creator Micro 2 remains unknown for now. Launch date and expected price OpenAI has already started teasing the Codex Micro on X (formerly Twitter), and the company has confirmed that it will officially launch on July 15, 2026. It is still unclear whether the device will be available worldwide or if the initial launch will be limited to selected countries. The company has also not announced the official price. However, for comparison, Work Louder’s Creator Micro 2 currently sells for $199 (around Rs 18,800) in the US, so the Codex Micro could be priced in a similar range.