OpenAI is working on a humanoid robot, CEO Sam Altman said on the podcast Sources. He explained that the human form is logical because ‘the world is largely designed for humans’, and when asked directly he replied succinctly: ‘We’ll make one.’
Demonstration in 2027
The project is still far from the stage of a commercial product, and a demonstration is expected in 2027. Altman commented: ‘I think we’ll have a cool demo in 2027… But I don’t think robots will be walking the streets for a few years after that.’
In the short term the company aims to create a general-purpose robot to assist skilled workers in building infrastructure. The long-term goal is to develop a personal robot for a wider range of domestic and professional tasks; there are currently 27 vacancies open in the robotics area.
Why developing the ‘brain’ is challenging
According to Altman, the main difficulty is not the body’s form but creating the ‘brain’ that will enable the robot to interact effectively with its environment. A functional humanoid must not simply follow commands, but analyse data from cameras and sensors, adapt its actions and correct errors in real time.
As an example of the challenge, the company cites the simple task of picking up a cup: the robot must identify the object, locate the handle, calculate grip force and correctly determine the effort to lift it so as not to spill the contents. Algorithms for motion control and sensor processing are being tested for such tasks.
Hardware and the market
The company is also working on the hardware side: its own electromechanical actuators, transmissions and sensor systems, and it is seeking manufacturing and supply-chain specialists for future scaling. The announced vacancies cover motion control, drive control and machine learning infrastructure for physical artificial intelligence (AI).
On entering the market, the company faces established players: Tesla, which is developing the Optimus robot, and the Chinese company XPENG, which demonstrated the humanoid IRON. So far the company has not announced official details on specific models, prices or release dates.
