Altman confirms OpenAI will build humanoid, demo in 2027
TL;DR
- Altman explicitly confirmed both humanoid and alternative form factors: 'We will definitely do a humanoid. We will do other form factors as well. Both.'
- OpenAI has already posted 26-27 open robotics roles spanning motors, drives, electronics, firmware, control systems, and mass production preparation.
- OpenAI's exit from Figure AI's cap table in early 2025 now reads as deliberate preparation for direct competition, not a routine portfolio reshuffle.
"We will." That was Sam Altman's answer, on the Sources podcast, when asked whether OpenAI would actually build a humanoid robot, Engadget reports.
The timeline came from a separate interview. "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," Altman told Fortune.
The form-factor logic was flat. "The world is very much designed for people," he said, so "matching that form factor seems good." He kept pushing the hard problem onto software: robot design details are "less important than really figuring out ... the brain that makes the robot work."
The careers page carries the operational signal. OpenAI currently lists 27 robotics openings covering motion control, state estimation, actuator control, whole-robot behavior and machine-learning infrastructure for physical AI systems. Engadget writes the company's job listings "indicate it is working on custom electromechanical actuators that include motors, transmissions, sensing and thermal systems, while other positions cover manufacturing and the supply chain needed to eventually produce hardware at scale."
No partner is named. No price. No release date. The confirmation lands alongside a dense robotics beat on our tracker and 399 OpenAI stories logged in the last 90 days.
What others are reporting
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TechTimes Read →
Most detailed competitive ecosystem breakdown: traces Figure AI and 1X Technologies exit from OpenAI's portfolio as precursor to direct competition, and maps OpenAI's vertical integration across chips, infrastructure, and now robots.
We will definitely do a humanoid. We will do other form factors as well. Both.
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DigitalToday Read →
Adds specificity on hiring scope (27 roles across motion control, actuator design, manufacturing, supply chain) and flags unresolved home-robot privacy issues around embedded cameras and microphones as a commercial barrier.
We will be able to show a cool demo in 2027, while adding that it will take a few more years before robots roam the streets.
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dev.ua Read →
Places the announcement inside Altman's 'The Gentle Singularity' essay sequence (agents 2025, science 2026, physical robots 2027) and surfaces the 2025 trademark filing for user-programmable humanoids as pre-announcement IP groundwork.
In 2027, we'll have a cool demo — really cool. I don't think robots will be walking the streets for a few years after that.
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TokenPost Read →
Sharpens the AI-over-hardware thesis: OpenAI frames its edge as VLA model capability and proprietary training data generation, not the physical platform, explicitly distancing itself from hardware-first competitors.
CEO Sam Altman expects an impressive prototype demonstration in 2027, while practical public use remains years away.
Originally reported by engadget.com
Read the original article →Original headline: Sam Altman Confirms OpenAI Will Build Humanoid Robot and Targets a 2027 Demo