OpenAI is moving beyond software into physical robotics. CEO Sam Altman confirmed during a recent podcast appearance that the company will build its own humanoid robot, complete with custom hardware and the artificial intelligence to control it. When asked whether OpenAI was developing humanoids or machines for data centers, Altman answered simply: "Both."

Why Is OpenAI Building Its Own Robot Hardware?

Altman explained that while intelligence remains the harder problem to solve, the physical form matters. He noted that homes, workplaces, tools, and equipment are largely designed around human reach, movement, and manipulation. This means a humanoid shape makes practical sense for robots that need to operate in spaces built for people. Altman expects industrial infrastructure and manufacturing to adopt robots first, with household adoption following later as the technology matures and costs decline.

Building and operating its own robot fleet would give OpenAI direct access to something crucial: real-world physical interaction data. This includes what a robot attempted, how hard it gripped, and what moved as a result. This type of embodied learning data is essential for training AI systems that understand the physical world. In fact, insufficient data contributed to OpenAI ending its previous robotics project in 2021. A company-controlled robot fleet could provide the failures, corrections, and sensor records needed to train embodied AI models that learn from experience.

What Does OpenAI's Hiring Reveal About Its Robot Plans?

OpenAI's recruitment activity suggests a substantial internal hardware effort is already underway. The company has posted 19 open robotics positions in San Francisco, revealing the scope and specificity of its ambitions. These positions indicate OpenAI is not simply licensing existing robot platforms but building core components from scratch.

• Actuator Development: Four positions focus specifically on actuators, the motors and mechanical systems that give robots movement and strength. One role calls for responsibility across motors, transmissions, sensing, and thermal architecture, with emphasis on torque density and manufacturability.
• Manufacturing Integration: A technical program manager position oversees actuator work with manufacturing partners on production-ready designs, suggesting OpenAI plans to scale production beyond prototypes.
• Supporting Hardware: Additional listings cover PCB layout (circuit board design), thermal simulation, firmware, prototyping, inventory, and commodity management, indicating a full-stack hardware operation.

Why does this matter? Actuators are among the most difficult parts of a humanoid robot to source and manufacture at scale. According to McKinsey research cited in reporting on OpenAI's plans, actuators can account for 40 to 60 percent of a humanoid robot's bill of materials. Precision components like harmonic drives and roller screws face concentrated supply chains, while rare earth magnets remain heavily dependent on Chinese processing. By building actuators in-house, OpenAI aims to control a critical bottleneck.

How Does This Compare to Other Companies' Robotics Efforts?

OpenAI's move puts it in closer competition with vertically integrated humanoid developers. The company previously participated in Figure AI's $675 million funding round in 2024, but Figure ended the collaboration in February 2025 and chose to develop its robot intelligence internally. Figure CEO Brett Adcock stated at the time that embodied AI required integration of both hardware and AI, a philosophy OpenAI now appears to embrace.

Manufacturing remains a separate challenge. Tesla began producing Optimus units roughly five years after announcing the program, yet had not shipped customer robots and missed its target of about 10,000 units in 2025. Elon Musk has described Optimus as Tesla's hardest product to scale because its components and supply chain are largely new. OpenAI's actuator recruitment suggests the company understands that constraint, even if Altman describes the robot brain as the central challenge.

OpenAI has not yet disclosed the humanoid's design, intended first application, or whether final assembly will be handled internally or by a manufacturing partner. The company has disclosed no prototype, delivery schedule, or production target. This is not yet a product announcement, but rather a confirmation of strategic direction that signals OpenAI's ambition to compete in physical AI alongside its dominance in large language models.