However, OpenAI has already revealed its upcoming hardware product teaser, but it is certainly not the much-rumored Jony Ive one. Recently, the @openai_developers account on X posted a video clip showcasing a square-shaped device filled with buttons, which was captioned “Your favorite Codex shortcuts are getting an upgrade”. The product release date of July 15 was also announced.
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It seems like an external keyboard called a macro pad – an auxiliary device placed near the standard keyboard enabling you to use shortcut commands using one button instead of remembering a combination of keys. The product was designed exclusively for Codex, a machine-learning software for code written by OpenAI and produced thanks to the cooperation of Work Louder, a company specialised in mechanical keyboards and macro pads for creatives.
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Based on the teaser video, the device is likely to look similar to Work Louder’s Creator Micro 2 that features 13 switches, a joystick, and a touchpad. Therefore, it can be assumed that it consists of a grid of keys that can be configured individually.
There are no details on functionality from either company yet, but the plan, assuming Work Louder’s current range of products, seems to be relatively simple. Every button and dial will correspond to certain Codex actions: running a command, approving suggestions, changing activities, or using shortcuts that now have to be typed or selected from a menu. Work Louder’s pads already enable customization of actions depending on the application used, so the Codex pad will come with a pre-installed set of commands most popular with the AI assistant.
It is not a novel approach for Work Louder anyway. Last year, Figma used a similar strategy, collaborating with Work Louder on developing a macro pad that comes pre-programmed with the company’s shortcuts.
Codex is at the heart of the way that OpenAI wants developers to work with their AI tools, and “vibe coding” has emerged as something of a culture shift in the world of tech. Dedicated hardware taps into this, seeing Codex as more of a workflow than just an IDE plugin, in a similar way to niche hardware designed for video editing and Photoshop power users over the years.
The best thing about it, too, is that it’s low-risk for OpenAI to get into the hardware game. Unlike the mysterious gadget that OpenAI is planning on building with Jony Ive’s team – which will almost certainly be a much more advanced gadget in collaboration with the AI – this is a very specific accessory based on an existing company’s hardware.
The only confirmed detail is the launch date: July 15th. Pricing, exact specs, and how deep the Codex integration goes remain unconfirmed. Expect more details, possibly a product page or another teaser, in the next two weeks.
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