SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – OpenAI is getting ready to build humanoid robots, taking its artificial intelligence beyond screens and into the physical world. Chief Executive Sam Altman confirmed the move on Fortune’s Sources podcast, telling host Alyson Shontell that the company will make them. Altman said a compelling demo prototype should be ready by 2027. Wider use on public streets is still a few years away. The company has not revealed the robot’s final design or intended tasks.
According to Altman, the hardest part is the robot’s brain rather than its body. The AI must make sense of the real world, reach decisions and complete tasks with precision. The OpenAI chief said the robot’s form matters far less than the system that controls it. A humanlike shape works well because doors, keyboards and other equipment were designed for people. Altman said OpenAI will definitely build humanoid robots and other form factors as well.
OpenAI is hiring specialists in AI systems and motion control to help its robots interact with their surroundings. BigGo Finance counted 27 open robotics positions on the company’s careers page. The roles span state estimation, actuator control, full-body behavior and machine learning infrastructure for embodied AI. Postings show the team designing mechatronic actuators that combine motors, transmissions, sensors and thermal management. Further listings cover manufacturing and supply chain work for scaled production.
From construction sites to personal helpers
The company’s goal is general-purpose robots that can handle a broad range of jobs. One job posting points to an early focus on helping skilled workers build infrastructure. Over the longer term, OpenAI envisions personal robots that assist people at home and in daily life. Altman said everyone should have a personal robot, though production capacity comes first. Such machines will need to understand their environment and handle surprises efficiently and safely.
Robotics marks a return to an area OpenAI explored years ago. In 2019, its researchers taught a robotic hand to solve a Rubik’s Cube. The company later disbanded that team and turned to language models. Its startup fund went on to back humanoid makers 1X and Figure AI. Figure ended its partnership with OpenAI in February 2025. OpenAI has also set out a formal process for reporting AI misalignment as its systems grow more capable.
Race to build physical AI intensifies
OpenAI joins a growing list of companies developing humanoid machines. Tesla is working on its Optimus robot, and Figure AI has introduced Figure 03. Chinese automaker XPeng has started producing its IRON humanoid. Samsung and BYD are also among the firms pursuing humanoids, Ubergizmo reported. Nvidia has broadened its physical AI efforts with robotics partners worldwide. Altman’s comments suggest OpenAI will compete by focusing on the intelligence layer that guides the hardware.
Details of the 2027 demonstration have not been released. OpenAI has also not disclosed pricing, launch dates or the robot’s appearance. Initial units are expected to target industrial infrastructure and construction work, according to Ubergizmo. Altman said building manufacturing capacity and infrastructure comes before personal robots for consumers. The company continues to recruit across its robotics group. Broad deployment in homes and public spaces is expected to take several more years.