OpenAI CEO says humanoid robot's brain is the real challenge

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed the company is building a humanoid robot, stating "We will" on the Sources podcast, but emphasized that developing the robot's "brain" is a far greater challenge than constructing its body. Altman said the human form is logical because the world is designed for people, though he considers hardware details less important than figuring out the intelligence that makes the robot work. OpenAI is hiring for robotics roles spanning motion control, state estimation, and machine-learning infrastructure, with a short-term goal of helping skilled workers build infrastructure. The company has not announced a product, price, or release date, but Altman told Fortune a "cool demo" could come in 2027, with robots on streets still years away. OpenAI's history includes the Dactyl project, which trained a robotic hand in simulation, and its careers page lists 27 robotics openings.