Altman says OpenAI is building a humanoid robot

OpenAI has confirmed it is building its own humanoid robot, with CEO Sam Altman declaring on the Sources podcast that the company "will definitely do a humanoid" and expressing his belief that everyone should eventually own a personal robot. The announcement puts the AI giant on a collision course with Tesla ↗ 4.23%, Google DeepMind Alphabet Inc. ↗ 0.78%, and a growing field of robotics startups.forbes+1

From AI Brain to Full-Stack Robot Maker

Altman's comments, which aired September 1, mark a decisive expansion for OpenAI beyond software and into hardware manufacturing. The company had shuttered its original robotics program in 2021 due to insufficient training data but relaunched the division on May 31 under robotics lead Aditya Ramesh. OpenAI's careers page now lists 19 open robotics positions in San Francisco, up from 11 at launch, with four roles dedicated to actuator design — a component that McKinsey estimates accounts for 40–60% of a humanoid robot's bill of materials cost.cryptobriefing+3

The emphasis on custom electromagnetics, gear systems, and thermal architecture suggests OpenAI is pursuing vertical integration rather than licensing an existing chassis. As Altman put it, the body matters as much as the brain: "The world is very much designed for people," he said, arguing that a human-shaped robot is the most practical form for navigating doors, kitchens, and workplaces.forbes

A Crowded and Accelerating Field

The move intensifies competition across the humanoid robotics sector. Nvidia ↗ 2.78% offers its GR00T reference design, Google DeepMind launched Gemini Robotics 2 on July 30 using hardware from Apptronik and Boston Dynamics Hyundai Motor Company, and Skild AI raised $1.4 billion in January at a valuation exceeding $14 billion. Figure AI, which previously partnered with OpenAI before CEO Brett Adcock pulled the collaboration in February 2025, has argued that solving embodied AI requires building both the brain and the body in-house.forbes

Tesla's experience offers a cautionary note. Elon Musk has called his Optimus humanoid "the hardest product to scale in manufacturing we've ever made," and as of January admitted no units were performing useful factory tasks. Global humanoid robot shipments nonetheless reached roughly 19,000 units in the first half of 2026, a 272% year-over-year increase, with Chinese manufacturers accounting for over 97% of the total.forbes

No Timeline, But Stakes Are High

Altman offered no shipping date, unit target, or named manufacturing partner for the humanoid effort, even as he provided an early 2027 timeline for the Jony Ive-designed tabletop device. TIME reported in late August that Altman told the magazine OpenAI will "definitely" make humanoid robots, reinforcing the seriousness of the commitment. Whether OpenAI can translate its AI expertise into competitive hardware remains an open question — but for the companies already racing to build the robots of the future, the entrance of AI's most well-funded lab raises the stakes considerably.aibase+2