OpenAI unveils $230 coding keyboard amid Apple trade theft lawsuit

OpenAI has officially introduced its first hardware product: the Codex Micro, a $230 keyboard with customizable lighting designed to work with its AI coding assistant, Codex. The keyboard, developed in collaboration with specialty designer Work Louder, aims to provide a physical interface for managing multiple AI coding agents—semi-autonomous bots that can write and execute code with little human input.

The device features "Agent Keys" that light up to show the status of each agent, customizable Command Keys for shortcuts, a joystick for launching common workflows, and a dial that adjusts the "reasoning level" of agents, controlling how much time and computing power they use. According to OpenAI, the Micro serves as a "command center for agentic work," and users can customize it via the ChatGPT desktop app.

OpenAI told TechCrunch that the Micro is a limited-run collaboration, indicating it is more of a novelty item than a product designed for mass appeal. It appears to be a flashy item to mark the company's entry into hardware. In contrast, a more significant device is reported to be in development: a portable, screenless smart speaker that integrates with ChatGPT and includes self-moving mechanical parts. Bloomberg reported this week that the device is still in development and subject to change, and it is being designed by former Apple engineers.

The launch of the keyboard comes just days after Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. The suit accuses OpenAI's senior leadership of a deliberate strategy to extract Apple's confidential information, alleging that the information was used to develop OpenAI's own hardware. OpenAI has denied the allegations. The legal battle adds a layer of tension to the hardware announcements.