SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – OpenAI is preparing to enter humanoid robotics as it seeks to bring artificial intelligence into the physical world. Chief Executive Sam Altman confirmed the plan in an interview on Fortune’s Sources podcast. Altman said the company expects to have a compelling demo prototype by 2027. Robots operating on public streets will take a few more years, the OpenAI chief said. The company has not disclosed the robot’s final design or the specific tasks it will perform.
Altman said the biggest challenge lies in developing the robot’s brain. That system must understand the real world, make decisions and carry out tasks accurately. Physical details such as form factor matter far less than the intelligence that controls the machine, Altman said. A humanlike design suits environments built for people, from doors to keyboards and equipment, the CEO noted. OpenAI will also build robots in other form factors, according to Altman.
The company is recruiting specialists to develop AI systems and motion control technologies for robots that interact with the physical world. Its careers page listed 27 open robotics positions, according to BigGo Finance. Roles cover motion control, state estimation, actuator control, full-body behavior and machine learning infrastructure for training embodied AI. Job postings say the team is developing mechatronic actuators in-house. Other listings focus on manufacturing and supply chains for hardware production at scale.
General-purpose robots for daily life
OpenAI aims to develop general-purpose robots capable of performing a wide range of tasks. A job posting describes a near-term goal of robots that assist skilled workers in infrastructure construction. The longer-term vision is personal robots that help people in their daily lives. Altman said everyone should have a personal robot. Achieving that will require systems that understand their surroundings and respond to unexpected situations efficiently and safely.
The robotics plans extend OpenAI’s push beyond software and AI infrastructure. The company’s interest in robots is not new. Its researchers trained a robotic hand to solve a Rubik’s Cube in 2019. OpenAI later shut down that robotics research team. Its startup fund has since invested in humanoid developers 1X and Figure AI. Figure ended its collaboration agreement with OpenAI in February 2025 to focus on its own AI models.
Competition grows in physical AI
OpenAI enters a crowded field of companies racing to build humanoid machines. Tesla is developing its Optimus robot, while Figure AI has unveiled its Figure 03 model. Chinese carmaker XPeng has begun producing its IRON humanoid. Chipmaker Nvidia has also expanded its physical AI work with robotics partners around the world. Altman’s comments indicate that OpenAI plans to compete by focusing on the intelligence that guides the hardware.
OpenAI has not said what its 2027 demonstration will involve or what the robot will look like. Pricing and launch timing for its machines also remain undisclosed. Altman said manufacturing capacity and infrastructure must come first, and that personal robots are not the current top priority. The company is continuing to hire engineers across its robotics team. Wider deployment in homes and public spaces is expected to take several more years.