OpenAI launches hiring spree for robotics division to build personal robots for everyone

OpenAI wants you to have a personal robot; starts hiring for robotics division

The robotics division grew out of OpenAI's world simulation research program, led by Aditya Ramesh, the researcher also known for his work on DALL-E. OpenAI is doubling down on its robotics ambitions with CEO Sam Altman announcing that the company is actively hiring full-stack hardware, operations, systems, and machine learning engineers for its robotics team. The robotics division grew out of OpenAI's world simulation research program, led by Aditya Ramesh, the researcher also known for his work on DALL-E. Altman said AI should help people in the physical world. "In the short term, we are focused on robots to support skilled workers to build our future infrastructure; in the long term, we imagine everyone having a personal robot doing anything they need," he wrote. The company has delved into robotics before. In 2019, OpenAI had launched a project featuring a robotic hand solving a Rubik's Cube, but the team was shut down a year later as it pivoted to focus on large language models. The company has since invested in robotics companies, including 1X, Figure and Physical Intelligence, though its partnership with Figure to develop AI models for humanoid robots ended in early 2025. The industry is booming on the back of advances in AI and an intensifying race between the US and China. Morgan Stanley estimates the humanoid robotics market could exceed $5 trillion by 2050. This is also part of a broader hardware push at OpenAI. The company acquired Jony Ive's hardware startup io Products for approximately $6.5 billion in May 2025, with consumer AI devices expected to follow.

OpenAI wants to build personal robots for everyone, Sam Altman starts hiring spree

For now, OpenAI's focus is on building robots that can assist skilled workers in developing and maintaining important infrastructure. OpenAI is taking a big step towards AI chatbots. The company now wants to build robots that can help people in the real world, and CEO Sam Altman has announced a hiring drive to make that vision a reality. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Altman revealed that OpenAI Robotics is looking for engineers across several fields, including hardware, machine learning, systems and operations. The goal is to create robots that can perform useful tasks and eventually become a part of everyday life. "AI should be able to help people in the physical world," Altman said while announcing the hiring. For now, OpenAI's focus is on building robots that can assist skilled workers in developing and maintaining important infrastructure. Also read: Microsoft plans super app that unifies chat, coding and other Copilot AI tools: Report However, the company's long-term ambitions are even bigger. Altman said OpenAI imagines a future where "everyone (has) a personal robot doing anything they need." I think this vision may still be years away, but it seems like the company is investing heavily to make that happen. The company is looking for people who enjoy working across the entire robotics stack. Altman encouraged talented engineers to join the effort, saying OpenAI is searching for individuals with "exceptional accomplishments." Also read: Perplexity faces legal challenge over alleged AI copyright theft: Here is what happened The announcement also places OpenAI more directly in the growing race to develop advanced robots. Several technology companies are already investing heavily in the sector. One of the biggest names is Elon Musk-led Tesla. With OpenAI now entering the robotics space, competition to create the next generation of intelligent robots could become even more intense in the coming years.