'We will have a cool demo in 2027': What Sam Altman said about OpenAI's humanoid robot and the challenges

As the race for artificial intelligence (AI) heats up, OpenAI is now planning to enter another race: building a humanoid robot. CEO Sam Altman suggested a demo could arrive in 2027, with the company prioritising the AI needed to perform everyday tasks while recruiting hardware specialists

As the artificial intelligence (AI) race heats up, with companies and governments competing for dominance, OpenAI is reportedly looking beyond AI models and consumer hardware. CEO Sam Altman has indicated that the company plans to build a humanoid robot.

According to Engadget, the OpenAI chief explained that a humanoid design makes sense because "the world is very much designed for people." Everyday objects such as doors, keyboards, and tools are built for human use, making a similar body shape a practical choice for robots navigating those environments. In his words, “matching that form factor seems good.”

When asked whether OpenAI would actually build a humanoid robot, Altman said, "We will." However, his priority is the intelligence needed to operate the robot rather than its physical design. According to Altman, questions about the humanoid robot's appearance are "less important than really figuring out ... the brain that makes the robot work." Giving a machine arms and legs will not be enough if it does not know what to do with them.

While Altman has not specified when the robot might become a commercial product, he told Fortune, "I think we'll have a cool demo in 2027 ... I don't think there will be robots walking the streets for a few years longer." The ChatGPT maker has yet to reveal what the demonstration will include, what the humanoid robot will look like, or when people outside the company might be able to access it.