# OpenAI says GPT-6 Astra designed a device in under a week

> OpenAI says its model helped design a talk-to-Codex device, from circuit boards to firmware. Prototypes still needed several rounds of revisions.

Oossa · 2026-11-03 · https://oossa.com/en/openai-says-gpt-6-astra-designed-a-device-in-under-a-week

OpenAI says its hardware team used GPT-6 Astra to design a device for talking to the Codex coding agent, completing the work as a side project in under a week. The company says Astra handled the process from the initial enclosure and circuit-board design through component choices, firmware and the user interface.

A contract manufacturer made a small batch of prototypes in under a month. But the first designs were not ready to build without changes: OpenAI says several revision rounds were needed because Astra missed manufacturing constraints, tolerances and assembly details.

## What did Astra handle?

The device’s circuit board, or PCB, is the board that connects electronic components. OpenAI says Astra planned component selection and trace routing—the paths that carry signals between components—as well as producing the device’s enclosure and software. The account describes work across both physical design and the code needed to run the prototype.

That does not mean the model independently delivered a finished, mass-produced product. The team used a contract manufacturer to make prototypes, and the designs needed corrections for real-world production. OpenAI has not given details about the device’s final form or when, or whether, it might be offered to the public.

## A benchmark result, with limits

OpenAI also points to a result on BenchCAD 2.0, a test of whether models can reconstruct 3D parts and assemblies and identify connections on circuit boards. GPT-6 Astra scored 0.594 at its highest reasoning level. An unnamed newer internal model scored 0.875, according to OpenAI; the company has not shared details about that model. The figures are company-reported, and the account does not provide independent validation.

OpenAI says its hardware teams use Codex and ChatGPT for CAD models, manufacturing drawings and simulations in areas including robotics and compute infrastructure. It says token use for this work has grown 23 times since February, but does not give a starting amount. The report also says OpenAI is developing its own hardware device, described as somewhere between an AI speaker and a smartphone; it does not establish that this is the prototype designed with Astra.

## The facts

- OpenAI says its hardware team completed the Astra design as a side project in under a week.
- A contract manufacturer produced a small batch of prototypes in under a month.
- GPT-6 Astra scored 0.594 on BenchCAD 2.0 at its highest reasoning level; an unnamed internal model scored 0.875.
- OpenAI says hardware-team token use for CAD, manufacturing drawings and simulations has grown 23 times since February.

## Why it matters

For hardware designers, the example suggests AI can contribute to several steps of a device project, from board layout to firmware. But the prototype still needed manufacturing-focused revisions, and OpenAI has not said whether the device will be released or how broadly others can use Astra for this work.

## Sources & references

1. [OpenAI says GPT-6 Astra designed a hardware device from scratch in under a week](https://the-decoder.com/openai-says-gpt-6-astra-designed-a-hardware-device-from-scratch-in-under-a-week/) – The Decoder, 2026-11-03

Last updated: 2026-11-03