OpenAI re “very excited about robots,” Altman said during a livestream in late October, which outlined his future vision for the company.
It remains unclear to what extent OpenAI will enter the space, especially if it will manufacture robotic hardware itself.
OpenAI was an early investor in Figure AI, but in February, the robotics company pulled out of its partnership with OpenAI. In January, OpenAI filed a lengthy trademark application that hinted at potential plans for humanoid robots.
“The time for the robot is coming soon,” Altman said during a chat with Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan in June. “I think I am very excited about a world where when you sign up for like the highest tier of the ChatGPT subscription, we send you a free humanoid robot, too.”
If OpenAI were to produce its own robots, that would lead them into competition with companies like Tesla. Led by CEO Elon Musk, Tesla unveiled its robot, Optimus, in 2022.
