Sam Altman Confirms OpenAI Will Build Its Own Humanoid Robots

2026-09-05 · AI Tech Insights · Curated from 界面新闻

Summary: On September 2, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman explicitly stated for the first time that the company will build its own humanoid robots. Altman said “we will definitely make humanoid robots” and also develop other form factors for data centers. OpenAI's world simulation research project has evolved into OpenAI Robotics, led by Aditya Ramesh. Altman also revealed plans for a 2027 IPO, with Q2 2026 revenue reaching $6.7 billion.

On September 2, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman explicitly stated for the first time in a podcast that the company will build its own humanoid robots. “We will definitely make humanoid robots, and we will also develop other forms of robots,” Altman said.

He explained that humanoid form is important because the physical world is adapted to the human body structure. OpenAI will also develop specialized robots for data center scenarios. As early as June 1, Altman posted OpenAI Robotics job listings seeking full-stack hardware, operations, systems, and machine learning engineers to “program and build robots that are genuinely useful to society.”

Altman stated that AI should be able to help humans in the real world. In the short term, OpenAI focuses on robots that assist skilled workers in building future infrastructure. Long term, the company envisions everyone having a personal robot capable of fulfilling various needs.

OpenAI's world simulation research project has evolved into OpenAI Robotics, led by Aditya Ramesh, with rapid progress rooted in the deep integration and co-design of robotics hardware and machine learning research.

OpenAI had previously announced its entry into AI hardware, with its first device imminent. Designed by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive under the codename “Gumdrop,” the screenless portable AI terminal features handwriting transcription, real-time voice interaction, and direct ChatGPT connectivity. OpenAI has hired hundreds of hardware engineers from Apple and Google, with Foxconn involved in prototype production. The device is expected to launch in 2027 at a price above $300.

Regarding commercialization, OpenAI is preparing for an IPO. CFO Sarah Friar stated the company plans to complete its public offering by 2027, potentially earlier if business growth accelerates. Q2 2026 revenue reached $6.7 billion, up 18% from Q1. Notably, OpenAI's latest revenue has fallen behind competitor Anthropic, whose recent quarterly revenue exceeded $11.5 billion with an annualized run rate surpassing $46 billion, having achieved operating profitability in Q2.

OpenAI's hardware ambitions face legal challenges. Apple sued OpenAI in July for alleged trade secret theft, and in August sought a federal injunction to stop OpenAI from using allegedly stolen trade secrets.

Key Takeaways

• Altman confirms OpenAI will build humanoid robots, also developing data center robots
• World simulation project evolves into OpenAI Robotics, led by Aditya Ramesh
• First AI hardware device codenamed Gumdrop, designed by Jony Ive, planned for 2027
• IPO planned for 2027, Q2 revenue $6.7B, up 18% quarter-over-quarter
• Anthropic's latest quarterly revenue exceeds $11.5B with $46B+ annualized run rate
• Apple sues OpenAI for trade secret theft, seeks federal injunction

📎 This article was automatically compiled by AI from 界面新闻 (2026-09-03).
All rights belong to the original authors. Used for informational purposes only.