Washington, USA: OpenAI is moving to bring artificial intelligence into the physical world, with CEO Sam Altman confirming plans to build a humanoid robot and indicating that the company expects to demonstrate its technology in 2027.
The project's central challenge, Altman has said, is not designing a humanlike body but developing the AI system capable of understanding its surroundings, interpreting instructions and controlling a physical machine to perform tasks reliably.
Speaking on the Sources podcast, Altman confirmed that OpenAI would build a humanoid robot, arguing that a humanlike form factor makes practical sense because the world is designed around people. Doors, keyboards, tools and other everyday objects are built for human bodies, potentially allowing humanoid robots to operate in existing environments without extensive modifications.
OpenAI has yet to disclose the robot's final design, technical specifications or the capabilities it will demonstrate. Altman's comments indicate that a demonstration could come in 2027, while broader deployment of robots in everyday settings remains further off.
Developing a capable humanoid requires much more than integrating cameras, sensors and articulated limbs. The robot must interpret visual and other sensory information, understand commands, plan movements, coordinate its joints and actuators, and adjust its actions when conditions differ from expectations. Bridging the gap between performance in simulated environments and reliable operation in the physical world remains a major challenge for robotics.
OpenAI is recruiting specialists across robotics software and hardware, with advertised roles covering control systems, motion and actuator technologies, motor design, machine-learning systems, manufacturing and robotics infrastructure. The breadth of these positions points to work on the wider system needed to build and operate robots, rather than AI software alone.
The company is entering a competitive field. Tesla has been developing its Optimus humanoid robot, while Chinese automaker XPENG has showcased its IRON robot, including a demonstration in which it walked off a production line after assembly. These efforts illustrate the challenge of integrating AI with mechanical systems capable of maintaining balance, coordinating movement and handling physical tasks safely.
OpenAI's stated near-term ambition is to develop general-purpose robots that can assist skilled workers with infrastructure construction, while its longer-term vision includes personal robots capable of performing a wider range of tasks. The company has also indicated an interest in robotic designs beyond the humanoid form.
