OpenAI Launches $230 Codex Keyboard While Legal Battle With Apple Escalates Over Secret Hardware Project

OpenAI has taken its first concrete step into the hardware market with the release of a $230 illuminated keyboard built specifically to work alongside its AI coding assistant, Codex. The device, called the Codex Micro, was co-designed with specialty keyboard maker Work Louder and is positioned as a dedicated control surface for developers running multiple AI coding agents at once.

Those agents — semi-autonomous programs capable of writing and executing code with minimal human oversight — are central to OpenAI's vision for the future of software development. The Micro is meant to give users a physical hub for orchestrating these agents rather than relying solely on a phone or desktop interface.

What the Codex Micro Actually Does

The keyboard features light-up keys labeled as "Agent Keys" that display the real-time status of individual coding agents. A set of customizable "Command Keys" serves as shortcuts for frequently used Codex actions, while a built-in joystick can trigger common workflows. Perhaps the most distinctive feature is a dial that lets users adjust the reasoning level of an agent — effectively controlling how much time and computational power the AI devotes to a particular task.

OpenAI describes the Micro as a "command center for agentic work." The device is configured and controlled through the ChatGPT desktop application, and its visual design — glowing keys, tactile controls — gives it the aesthetic of a premium desk accessory. However, OpenAI confirmed to TechCrunch that the Micro is a limited-run collaboration, suggesting it is closer to a novelty item than a product intended for widespread adoption.

A Screenless Smart Device Looms in the Background

While the Codex Micro grabbed headlines, the more significant hardware development emerged through a Bloomberg report. According to that reporting, OpenAI is working on a portable, screenless smart speaker that integrates with ChatGPT and includes mechanical components capable of moving on their own. Few other details are available, and OpenAI has not publicly commented on the device.

The combination of features — no screen, portability, and self-moving mechanical parts — makes it difficult to predict what the final product will look like. Bloomberg noted that the device remains in active development and that its design could change before any official unveiling.

Former Apple Engineers and a Trade Secret Lawsuit

The reported smart device is being designed by engineers who previously worked at Apple, a detail that carries considerable weight given the current legal relationship between the two companies. Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI last week alleging that OpenAI's senior leadership engaged in a deliberate effort to obtain Apple's confidential information and use it in the development of OpenAI's own hardware products.

OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing. The lawsuit adds a layer of legal uncertainty to a hardware push that appears to still be in its early stages, with one limited-run novelty keyboard on the market and a more ambitious device reportedly still taking shape behind closed doors.

As OpenAI expands beyond software into physical products, the intersection of cutting-edge AI hardware and high-stakes litigation will be worth watching closely. If you found this breakdown helpful, share it with your network and let us know what you think about OpenAI's hardware ambitions.

Source: TechCrunch AI