Mysterious Metallic Device Spotted on US Chief Design Officer

Joe Gebbia, cofounder of Airbnb, was seen using an unidentified pair of earbuds with a circular disc at a San Francisco coffee shop.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Joe Gebbia, the US Chief Design Officer appointed by former President Trump, was spotted in a San Francisco coffee shop using a mysterious metallic device. The device appears to be a pair of earbuds with a matching clamshell-shaped disc on the table in front of him. The device bears resemblance to a hoax ad for an upcoming OpenAI hardware product, though OpenAI has denied any involvement. Experts are unsure of the exact nature of the device Gebbia was using.

Why it matters

The appearance of this mysterious device raises questions about potential new hardware products in development, particularly from tech companies like OpenAI that are working on advanced AI systems. As a high-profile government official, Gebbia's use of an unidentified device also raises security and privacy concerns.

The details

In a social media post that went viral, Gebbia was seen sitting at a San Francisco coffee shop using a pair of metallic earbuds that bisect his ears, with a matching clamshell-shaped disc on the table in front of him. The device bears a resemblance to a hoax ad that circulated in February for an upcoming OpenAI hardware product, though OpenAI has denied any involvement. WIRED's audio experts believe Gebbia is likely wearing open earbuds, but the clamshell case does not match any existing consumer products. The publication also ran the imagery through AI detection software, which found a low likelihood of it being computer-generated, though the software is not entirely reliable.

  • On March 3, 2026, Gebbia was spotted using the mysterious device at a San Francisco coffee shop.

The players

Joe Gebbia

The cofounder of Airbnb and the current US Chief Design Officer appointed by former President Trump.

OpenAI

An artificial intelligence research company that was reportedly developing a line of hardware devices, though they have denied involvement with the device seen in the recent hoax ad.

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What they’re saying

“Fake news”

— Greg Brockman, President, OpenAI (X)

What’s next

OpenAI has not commented on the potential connection between the device seen on Gebbia and their rumored hardware products. It remains to be seen if this was a genuine sighting of a new prototype or a hoax.

The takeaway

The appearance of this mysterious metallic device used by a high-profile government official raises questions about potential new technology developments, particularly in the field of advanced AI systems. However, the true nature of the device remains unclear, and it highlights the need for caution around unverified claims and potential hoaxes in the tech industry.