OpenAI develops humanoid robot
OpenAI intends to develop its own humanoid robot. Company CEO Sam Altman confirmed this in an interview with Alex Hitz for the Sources podcast. According to him, OpenAI plans to create both humanoid machines and robots of other form factors.
The company has not yet disclosed the specifications, cost, or release timeline of the upcoming robot. Moreover, OpenAI has not yet shown a prototype nor announced a date for its presentation. Earlier reports suggesting a 2027 launch refer not to the humanoid robot but to one of the company’s consumer AI devices.
Why OpenAI Became Interested in Humanoid Robots
Altman explains the choice of a humanoid design quite pragmatically. The infrastructure surrounding humans is already designed for the human body: doors, computers, tools, appliances, and various equipment were created with our size and movements in mind. Therefore, a robot of similar shape could potentially operate in the existing environment without requiring major restructuring.
At the same time, a home robot is not OpenAI’s near-term goal. Altman believes that in the long run, personal robots could become mass-market devices, but first the industry must address issues of production, infrastructure, and the “intelligence” that controls such machines.
OpenAI is assembling a robotics team again
The company returned to this direction several years after closing its previous robotics division in 2021. In early 2025, OpenAI began actively recruiting specialists for a new team focused on general-purpose robots and hardware systems.
OpenAI is currently hiring engineers for electronics, control systems, software, and robot prototyping. The team description states that it develops robotic systems of various form factors capable of operating in dynamic real-world environments.
For OpenAI, its own robots are important not only as a potential end product. Physical machines enable the collection of data on interaction with the real world, including movements, object grasping, errors, and reactions to the environment. The lack of such data was previously one of the challenges in the company’s robotics direction.
Meanwhile, OpenAI is preparing new AI devices
Separately from robotics, OpenAI is developing several consumer devices in collaboration with the team of former Apple chief designer Jony Ive. Altman has spoken about a small lineup of different form factors: a desktop device, a pocket gadget, and a wearable device.
According to sources familiar with the project, the first such device could appear in early 2027. It is described as a compact gadget without a traditional screen, capable of perceiving its surroundings and interacting with its owner using ChatGPT voice capabilities. This device, not a humanoid robot, is currently tied to the most concrete release date for OpenAI’s hardware product.
