OpenAI Launches Merchandise Line Including $70 Basketball That Sells Out Amid Online Criticism

Jul 22, 2026

OpenAI launched its first public merchandise brand, Supply Co., on July 15, 2026, featuring items including a seventy-dollar branded basketball and a one-hundred-and-seventy-five-dollar half-zip sweatshirt. The line drew online criticism and mockery from designers over its style, fit, and logo placement. The basketball sold out within a day, while other items were also selling out. OpenAI design director Ben King responded to the mixed feedback by saying that “the numbers don’t lie,” while AI creative specialist Eugenio Fierro said the launch reflected efforts by digital-first AI companies to build tangible physical brand identities.

OpenAI Supply Co. merchandise launch

▪OpenAI announced the merchandise launch on July 15, 2026, marking the first time its merchandise has been made publicly available outside corporate events.
▪OpenAI launched its first public merchandise brand, named Supply Co., featuring hats, tees, tote bags, socks, and basketballs.

Product pricing details

▪The OpenAI merchandise line includes fifteen-dollar ribbed socks and a one-hundred-and-seventy-five-dollar half-zip sweatshirt.
▪The ChatGPT-branded basketball was priced at seventy dollars, which is significantly higher than comparable basketball options.

Sellout performance across items

▪The OpenAI "Good Research Tee" sold out of every size except extra-small shortly after the launch.
▪The green and white ChatGPT-branded basketball sold out within a single day of its launch.

Design criticism from professionals

▪Designers on the social media platform X mocked the collection's poor fabric fits and logo placements.
▪Media outlets criticized OpenAI's merchandise line for retreading streetwear styles from five years prior.

Social media backlash

▪Online critics labeled the OpenAI merchandise line with terms including "tasteslop," "nerd merch," and "mortifying."
▪Social media users on X expressed strong negative reactions, with one describing the collection as a "horrifying concept."

OpenAI brand expansion strategy

▪OpenAI design director Ben King stated that despite mixed feedback, the online store is successfully selling out of multiple items.
▪AI creative specialist Eugenio Fierro stated that the merchandise launch represents an effort by digital-first AI companies to build tangible physical brand identities.