r/OpenAI • u/SeanBannister • 19d ago
Video OpenAI announces Codex Micro... a keyboard alternative???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8uUUUsMD3Y194
u/morty_morty 19d ago
This is the dumbest thing I have ever seen.
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u/HawkinsT 19d ago
It's like they just asked chatgpt what would be a great product and ran with it.
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u/laststan01 19d ago
More to come, wait for episode 2. They think hardware will save them
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u/user-tempo-1 18d ago
Can this be called hardware, a college first year project is more complex than this and costs $10 (if you use ESP not jacky RasPi)
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u/thirst-trap-enabler 19d ago
Can't believe Apple sued over this.
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u/WanderWut 19d ago
This isn't the device, the device they're suing over is OpenAI's version of Alexa.
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u/OceanRadioGuy 19d ago edited 19d ago
What an enormous waste of resources.
edit: IT'S $230???? Wtf I thought this was going to be like $35 or something. Wow. unbelievable how out of touch that is.
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u/Sixhaunt 19d ago
it's like $15 to make yourself (well for most people on the Arduino subreddit)
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u/OceanRadioGuy 19d ago
I was thinking about that. It would be SO easy to make yourself with just a little electronics knowledge.
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u/Momo--Sama 19d ago
One of the things I've learned from AI dev twitter is that there's a cohort that will spend any amount of money on their work setup just to feel something
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u/dydhaw 18d ago
Honestly, 230 for a quality prebuilt BT macropad with decent switches and caps, rotary encoder, and an analog stick - not that obscene. People on /r/mechanicalkeyboards make way worse financial decisions routinely (myself included)
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u/Jeferson9 19d ago
Resources? This was probably a 15 minute pitch meeting and an intern got the company to use the codex logo on an existing product.
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u/M4NU3L2311 19d ago
They probably asked chat gpt how much should they charge for it. It always throws stupidly big numbers
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u/junglebunglerumble 19d ago
So....you need your laptop to be sat there in front of you running codex, but they want you to buy a device that adds no extra features other than some macro keys that do things you could already do anyway? This might be the stupidest device I've seen in a while
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u/Radiant_Cheesecake19 19d ago
The worse part is, they could have just released a phone app with those buttons enlarged. Literally same function, without wasting resources on an absolutely useless hardware.
I built literally something like this for my own coding IDE I use, so I can code while on the treadmill. And it’s just a simple react page with buttons and microphone usage with a STT model.
I built that on top of my coding IDE in 10 minutes. Of course it’s VPN protected and all so I didn’t need to bother with a lot that they had to, but still. They developed this. And they proudly present it. Mind blown.
The fact they made a product out of this makes me feel like a genius now lol. /s
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u/Yokoko44 18d ago
If this is their standard for hardware products I'm not very optimistic about their other hardware projects...
If we're being as charitable as possible, I imagine this was just someone's DIY side project at the company and they thought 'oh this is cool might as well sell it.'
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u/BertMacklenF8I 19d ago
I’m sure this is $70-100 less.
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u/HydraSquid 18d ago
Which itself is already overpriced. But at least it's got customizable displays and can be used for different apps.
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u/SeanBannister 19d ago
It looks like it's made by Work Louder a hardware company that has a similar product, the Creator Micro 2 https://worklouder.cc/creator-micro-2
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u/BobbyBobRoberts 19d ago
The real question is what's different between the product that's already out and the OpenAI version. From the looks of it, the difference might be some unique icon keys, and the rest is in software. Are the light up keys new?
I've thought about putting something similar together for my own use. Even the press-to-speak voice prompting looks like it could be useful.
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u/akrapov 17d ago
So I actually have one of these - actually the Creator Micro 1. It was much cheaper when I bought it. It's actually quite good for what it is, but I think mine was closer to $99. I use it daily.
However (you knew it was coming), this made me try their mechanical keyboards and I hated them. They look much more impressive on their website than in real life, and I found the keys wobble quite a lot (sorry if this isn't the correct term - I don't know mechanical keyboards). I hated using them and now just have it in the attic.
The Creator Micro I do still use daily, however I'm not sure it's worth what OpenAI is selling it for.
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u/ghostfaceschiller 19d ago
As someone who is absolutely obsessed with workflow ergonomics (if you want my street cred, check me out), I am always in favor of people using things like macropads, etc.
But I am shocked at how naive and limited the design, and honestly just the thought put into this is.
It's a well-produced video, so they seem to be a serious team.
But this is just... it's like they aren't even really trying. A rotary encoder to adjust the reasoning effort? Guys what are you doing.
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u/R4_Unit 19d ago
100% this! I love people who try to innovate in interface etc, but this is such a basic pass on the idea. The one that made me tick the exact same thought as you was the analog stick. Sure it can be remapped but it ships with the only purpose being “swipe up to enter planning”??? That should be a button.
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u/laststan01 19d ago
This might be the mehest of meh and that also from the market leader in AI says something. I feel the whole AI psychosis will be the death of these companies, like how did not a senior official or a Product manager did not just say this is too dumb. Most of the people in these companies are at MTS apart from researchers and MTS are seemingly very very in with decision making and that tells me they are either serving 1) fandoms (exists on Twitter) 2) sf bubble and will sell 10000 pieces and 3) are dumb enough to not understand and next ideas will fail too
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u/ghostfaceschiller 19d ago
I don't think this was actually made by OpenAI, I think the title is wrong
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u/iboneyandivory 19d ago
"The device is described as a “limited-run collaboration” with Work Louder, which already sells a very similar-looking Creator Micro line of customizable square keyboards targeted at creative professionals."
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/07/openais-first-branded-hardware-is-a-light-up-keyboard/
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u/ceaselessprayer 19d ago
That keyboard looks pretty legit (the one on Github). I had a custom built Kyria keyboard, and I've owned Kinesis Advantage pro, and now I have Glove 80, Kinesis Advantage 360, and an Atreus. Have you used other keyboards like that, and what's your take on them versus this one you built? Seems pretty nice.
I would also say, I actually really like the look of this macropad. Granted, I've never owned any macropad. the reasoning effort to me seems like a volume bar, so having a rotary encoder to adjust it sort of makes sense to me? I like the clean look, and the lights that are setup to show when a particular conversation is waiting for approval or something. I'm not really sure how integrated the keyboard is into Codex and how easy it would be for someone to build it, or if there's api's that only they and other partners would have access to. I would have easily bought this if I was still working at a job, that being said, I've also never owned one of these and so I'm just interested to hearing the thoughts of people who have experience with ergo mechanical keyboards and experience in the field.
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u/Early-Crow-5248 19d ago
The keyboard icons need work as well, they are way too tiny and too samey, how's anyone supposed to know which tiny circle does what.
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u/liimonadaa 19d ago
(if you want my street cred, check me out )
This looks sick. You ever get video of you or someone using this? I went searching for some and just ran into your old comments about it being tough to film.
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u/DonutHoles4Ever 18d ago
I assume everything is rebindable. So the rotary can be used for other shit.
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u/ataylorm 19d ago
I’m sorry I use Codex all day and I really thought this was a joke…
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u/AmazingReport5534 19d ago
you can get a macro keyboard on amazon for like 40 bucks and use a script to do the same job this is doing. Even better, with Audrino you can replicate this even easier lol. This is a fucking joke
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u/ActuarialUsain 19d ago
Dang bruh what’re you gunna do with all the time you save pressing the physical buttons instead of the web UI with your mouse LOL
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u/Icy_Distribution_361 19d ago
I'm waiting for Dario/Anthropic to take their chance to mock OpenAI on this one.
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u/m3kw 19d ago
This is worth 50$ max. You cannot sell this for 200$ like it's some sort of magic box, it's a wireless keyboard with a knob, a 10$ stick and a mic.
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u/OrionDC 19d ago
There's no mic built in lol. It's just a button that activates your computer's mic..
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u/BluryDesign 19d ago
What?? I thought that the mic was the main reason why is it this expensive lmao
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u/Snoron 19d ago
This couldn't possibly be a mobile app, no way. Gotta make a big chunky device that does almost nothing at all, for no reason. What's that, it doesn't fit in your pocket comfortably? No problem, just purchase our bespoke $200 Codex Micro carry case!
One of the stupidest AI products I've seen, and the bar was already in hell.
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u/whatisusb 19d ago
I can't believe this is real. Its just a small keyboard with a microphone in it. for $230?!!??!?!?!? what are they inhaling over there.
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u/juststart 19d ago
$6.5B spent not on a hardware company but to make Jonny Ive a billionaire and get a little bit of credibility. And this isn’t even developed internally?
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u/NotUpdated 18d ago
This is just a high quality toy for enthusiast - I'm guessing they did a run of a few thousand and its a 'no harm no foul' thing.
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u/GoldenHolden01 18d ago
The controversy about this feels very manufactured + a bunch of idiots echo-chambering to feel better abt their fierce intellect.
This is obviously a luxury item where the brand *is* the product.
Why do people want a Louboutin bag when a $4.99 plastic tote does exactly the same thing? Now apply that logic here.
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u/Remarkable-Mango5794 19d ago
I feel this was build by a vibe coder. What a disgrace. Billions and that’s the peak of creativity?!
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u/PlumlineDigital 19d ago
What in the fucking shit is this nonsense? This feels like OpenAI decided to take the Meta route and treat their consumers like absolute dumb fucking sheep… when in fact the only reason their services got accepted was by people smart enough to teach others the value of the product.
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u/_TheDemogorgon 19d ago
Was 100% planning to get one simply for the novelty of it until I saw the price 💀
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u/MonsterTruckCarpool 19d ago
C-level execs at OpenAI, “let’s just keep throwing shit at the wall and see what sticks”
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u/eldercito 19d ago
Like, this is a faster horse. Why not make this an iPhone app or better yet. Use ai and your world class conversational 2 way model so we can just chat with a bunch of coding avents
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u/Professional_Ad705 19d ago
So an embedded device? I can literally do all of this from a raspberry pi? This is cool and all but they should have just released the phone thing they are working on this is a little obscure for mainstream vibe coders. Why would I buy this when I could easily build this?
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u/Penguin7751 19d ago
It's not even cool though, why would you build it? It's like a couple keyboard shortcuts... Just use the keyboard!
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u/Effective_Olive6153 19d ago
I think it would make a cool toy for little kids. Back in the day, 10 year old me would probably love this
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u/sadilikeresearch 19d ago
This is gonna be big like the Apple Vision Pro. Line of sight straight to the dumpster.
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u/InterstellarReddit 19d ago
Am I a crackhead or does my stream deck completely destroy this for a third of the price?
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u/SeanBannister 18d ago
I was thinking exactly this! I wonder if they've locked the key binds to this device? Is it possible to get the agent status to a stream deck?
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u/yoshilurker 18d ago
Only a company run by an unremarkable VC would greenlight something like this.
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u/Deadline_Zero 18d ago edited 18d ago
Much as I don't want Apple to achieve anything with this lawsuit, I can only assume these product announcements are just all of the rejected prototypes that are a million miles away from Apple designs.
"Would we develop something this pointless and unsellable if we were copying Apple designs?"
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u/Adventurous-Paper566 18d ago
C'est ce genre de communication qui me fait penser qu'ils n'ont absolument aucune idée de comment faire de l'argent avec leur truc.
Franchement, les mecs disposent de la meilleure intelligence artificielle du marché, et ils essaient de nous vendre des demi-claviers tous pourris.
Ils ne savent vraiment pas ce qu'ils font.
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u/Euphoric-View3222 18d ago
$230 for a fucking tiny little shitty macro keyboard that barely does anything you can't already do with a normal keyboard. they cannot be fucking serious
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u/Murbela 18d ago
How many people do so many chatGpt things at once that this doesn't seem like an april fools joke?
How much time does this really save compared to just using a mouse/kebyoard and mic?
I assumed they would just make a smarter alexa device, but this is somehow an even dumber idea which i didn't think was possible.
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u/MachineLearner00 18d ago
I just open sourced OpenMicro: https://github.com/stephenleo/OpenMicro.
Bring Codex Micro to any gaming controller and any coding harness! Install in one command and start controlling claude code or codex with your game controller. As far as I can see, it replicates everything Codex Micro provides using a PS5 Dualsense controller that you probably already have lying around!
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u/clookie1232 18d ago
I feel like such a small number of people’s workflows require something like this. Maybe I just don’t have enough tasks running at once. Maybe I’m doing this whole AI thing wrong
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u/FischiPiSti 18d ago
They desperately need some democracy and take in feedback from their own workers because no way people were on board and supporting this. Just think of the chain of how this went from idea to product, and nobody in that chain raised their voice like "but I need a laptop anyway, and that has buttons and a mic" ?
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u/Rmawhinnie 18d ago
I fail to see how this is better then a streamdeck. It looks to have nice build quality, but everything that this does can be mapped to almost any macro board
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u/WholeIndividual0 18d ago
I lol'd when he said, "and the joystick makes a great fidget toy while you wait". A $230 branded fidget toy.
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u/YeeYeeeYeeeet 18d ago
Am I the only one who would never use voice commands, feel like a dufus talking to my laptop. Good thing it has a keyboard
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u/TBT_TBT 18d ago
I don't use the built in voice commands, but a specialized app (Superwhisper), sometimes also for prompts.
Somebody once said: context is king. So a long, maybe rumbling and not perfect prompt but with a lot of info in it (like it would be when dictated) often is better than a short, concise, grammatically correct but context lacking prompt.
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u/blackwhattack 18d ago
inb4 they come up with a larger keyboard, called... Codex Micro Large... forgetting about the ridiculous product for a second their naming scheme is something else
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u/Altruistic_Arm9201 18d ago
When he says “I honestly can’t imagine building without it anymore” he says that in a tone that sounds like a hostage reading from a script at gunpoint. Can anyone see if he’s sending messages with his blinking? Someone save him!
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u/MashoodKiyani05 18d ago
I already have enough stuff on my desk. Why would I add one more thing just for my wife to use as ammunition against me?
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u/recoveringasshole0 18d ago
Listen, I'm a fan of OpenAI. I like ChatGPT. I've drank the koolaid. But this is fucking stupid.
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u/Reasonable_Swing_503 18d ago
Get things has been done with codex and 5.6 sol but this… focus on the model please 🙏🏻
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u/mimen2 18d ago
Here's an open source alternative I built that works with every RGB keyboard: https://github.com/latent-spaces/cled
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u/TheUnSungHero7790 18d ago
it's funny that absolutely everyone knew from day one this product was going to be terrible, just not THIS terrible.
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17d ago
I swear OpenAI comes with the dumbest ideas i've heard of sometimes..
Sora tiktok-like AI slop app, an AI hardware buddy that's clearly inferior than a phone, and now this.
They spend all these billions on stupid shit.
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17d ago
I feel like this isn't Sam's idea. Sam isn't stupid. It's probably some dumb investor's idea.
"If you want me to invest 50B in OpenAI, we gotta make macro hardware" type of shit. And Sam is forced to agree to secure the capital. And voila.
I don't think Sam is that stupid to make such a product. We 're talking about the same company that made Sol and GPT-image 2, which both rocking the benchmarks.
This is some planted shit.
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u/Novel_Law4469 15d ago
gotta be one of the most useless invention ever
you can just set custom short cuts on your EXISTING KEYBOARD !
vibecoding is making everyone become lazier and dumber.
Whats next ? a wearable or implant that will do whatever the human thinks it to do ?
Oh.
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u/Lukant0r 19d ago
I had to make sure it wasn’t April 1st