Joe Gebbia, cofounder of Airbnb, was recently spotted in San Francisco with an intriguing metallic device. A video shared on X gained over 500,000 views. In it, Gebbia sips espresso at a coffee shop, wearing eye-catching metallic earbuds with a clamshell-shaped disc in front of him.
This sighting led many social media users to speculate that Gebbia could be testing a prototype for OpenAI’s upcoming hardware, designed in collaboration with renowned Apple designer Jony Ive. However, both OpenAI and Gebbia did not respond to requests for comments, leaving fans in curiosity.
The earbuds have drawn comparisons to a fake OpenAI advertisement featuring actor Alexander Skarsgård. The ad showed a similar AI device with earbuds and a round disc, but OpenAI dismissed the ad as “fake news.”
Interestingly, the design of Gebbia’s earbuds resembles the Huawei FreeClip 2, which launched earlier this year. But given the U.S. security concerns with Huawei, it seems unlikely that a government figure would use their technology.
WIRED’s audio experts noted that the earbuds look like Soundcore’s AeroClips or Sony’s LinkBuds Clip. However, the case on the counter doesn’t match any known device. They also evaluated the video using deepfake detection software and found low chances of it being AI-generated. That said, detection tools aren’t always accurate, leaving some doubt about the video’s authenticity.
Experts suggest that this could be a soft launch of OpenAI’s hardware. If true, it aligns with speculation that the company may release devices to consumers in early 2027. OpenAI has yet to confirm any connection, but the buzz continues to grow around Gebbia’s unexpected reveal.
With the rapid development in AI technology, user curiosity and skepticism are rising. As companies like OpenAI push the boundaries of innovation, the public eagerly anticipates new products that could reshape our daily lives.
For further details about AI trends and technologies, visit MIT Technology Review.
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artificial intelligence,design,wearables,openai,earbuds,wireless earbuds
