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Why is OpenAI selling a ChatGPT basketball?
TechCrunch • • general
Key Points:
- OpenAI has launched its first hardware products, including a $230 mini keyboard and a $70 ChatGPT-branded basketball as part of its "Pause. Play. Prompt." campaign encouraging users to take breaks from screen time.
- The basketball is made of 100% rubber, designed for outdoor use, and aims to promote physical activity amid the rise of generative AI and its environmental impact.
- The target audience for the ChatGPT basketball is unclear, with concerns about its practicality and social reception outside tech-centric environments.
- Alongside the basketball, OpenAI is selling branded merchandise featuring motivational slogans, such as a $175 quarter-zip jacket referencing academic research culture, which may not resonate with all tech workers.
- The article critiques the AI industry's occasional missteps in product-market fit but acknowledges the value of company swag in fostering culture and identity.
