TYPE & TECH – ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
CLIENT – OPENAI & OBE
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TYPE & TECH – ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
CLIENT – OPENAI & OBE
The OpenAI phone box Frontiers London project invited guests to explore conversational AI through a familiar cultural symbol. The event took place at the Renaissance Hotel St Pancras and focused on an original K6 telephone box restored with care. Working with OBE, the team created a space where visitors could hold a live conversation with OpenAI’s new agent service. Guests stepped inside, lifted the handset, and began a clear and direct exchange that needed no explanation.
The goal was to introduce advanced conversational tools in a way that felt warm and immediate. The agent needed to be understood within seconds, even by guests with no technical background. The K6 offered a nostalgic frame, although the interaction needed to carry the weight of something new. The experience also had to hold attention in a busy event environment where people move quickly from one moment to the next. These constraints shaped every design choice.
“Thanks for bringing this to life! We were really happy with it and are excited it will continue in our London Office’”Â
– KAY SORIN
Senior Event Manager – OpenAI
The team worked with OBE to rebuild the K6 from within, concealing all processing, audio, and networking hardware behind restored panels. This preserved the booth’s original character while supporting a modern system that responded the moment the handset was lifted. Then the conversational agent took over, guiding each visitor through details about the event, OpenAI’s work, and the wider use of agent technology in daily tasks.
Voice recognition and speech synthesis maintained a steady rhythm, helping the exchange feel fluid. Interior sound treatment reduced noise from the surrounding space, and on site support kept the experience reliable throughout the programme. The result was a clear path from curiosity to conversation.
The installation became a consistent draw across the London Frontiers programme. People queued to try it, often returning with colleagues who wanted the same experience. The familiarity of the K6 helped ground the interaction while the intelligence of the agent kept it fresh and memorable.
Guests left with a clearer sense of how conversational agents can be embedded in everyday environments. OpenAI have confirmed the booth will continue to be used in their London office.
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