OpenAI launches new hardware team with Meta AR leader

OpenAI has established a consumer hardware division, with Caitlin Kalinowski, former head of augmented reality hardware at Meta, appointed to lead it.

Kalinowski, who previously played a key role in Meta’s “Orion” augmented reality glasses project and held engineering and design roles at Apple, brings extensive experience in AR and VR development.

According to TechCrunch, her focus at OpenAI will shift to consumer robotics, marking OpenAI’s initial entry into hardware.

Kalinowski shared her excitement on X, announcing she was “delighted” to join OpenAI to “lead robotics and consumer hardware.”

Though her official title has yet to be confirmed, her leadership reflects OpenAI’s interest in broadening its AI expertise beyond software.

The division is expected to explore hardware possibilities to integrate AI technologies directly into consumer devices, an area that has yet to fully develop a mass-market presence.

Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2023, interest in artificial intelligence has surged, prompting growth in the AI hardware industry, with companies like Nvidia and TSMC leading the way.

However, consumer AI hardware has not yet had its “iPhone moment.”

While previous consumer AI attempts like Humane’s AI “pin” and various smart devices from Google and Amazon have sparked interest, advanced AI models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT remain largely untapped in the physical product space.

Rather than focusing solely on in-house development, OpenAI’s new division may explore licensing its technology to established tech firms, allowing it to leverage Kalinowski’s experience with large-scale manufacturers such as Meta and Apple.