OpenAI launches major robotics hiring drive to build real-world useful robots

OpenAI has signalled a significant renewed commitment to robotics, launching a large-scale hiring campaign aimed at building machines capable of functioning in the physical world.

Altman announces recruitment push on X

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman took to X on Sunday to announce that OpenAI Robotics is actively seeking hardware, operations, systems, and machine learning engineers.

According to Altman, the overarching goal is to develop and manufacture robots that are "useful for society."

OpenAI president Greg Brockman subsequently confirmed that the team is making rapid progress towards creating artificial intelligence systems capable of assisting people in the physical world, rather than operating exclusively through software.

Focus on infrastructure, not household tasks

Unlike many robotics ventures that concentrate on domestic assistance or factory automation, OpenAI's present focus is squarely on building the foundational infrastructure required to support that ambition.

Altman has stated that the company's emphasis lies in developing robots capable of assisting with large-scale construction projects — including data centres, power grids, factories, and other major facilities.

As the demand for computational power to run AI systems continues to grow, so too does the need for the physical infrastructure that supports it.

Looking further ahead, Altman has suggested that the future could see one robot per person, each capable of carrying out everyday tasks on behalf of its owner.

A return to robotics after a four-year absence

OpenAI's renewed push into robotics follows a notable gap in direct activity in the field. Between 2017 and 2021, the company operated a dedicated robotics laboratory that attracted widespread attention, most notably for Dactyl — a robotic hand that successfully solved a Rubik's Cube using a single hand in 2019.

The lab was dissolved in 2021, though OpenAI maintained its involvement in the sector through investment. The company backed 1X Technologies via its Startup Fund in 2023 and subsequently invested in Figure AI at a later stage.

Senior departure clouds the revival

The robotics push has not been without controversy. Caitlin Kalinowski, who served as OpenAI's former head of hardware for robotics, left the company in March 2026, citing concerns over its relationship with the Pentagon and its work on surveillance technology.