OpenAI dissolves robotics lab, betting big AI models can run robots directly

OpenAI has disbanded its dedicated robotics research team, reassigning the staff to its broader research and applied divisions. The move follows a recent partnership with robotics startup Figure that ended in February, and comes as CEO Sam Altman maintains a public target of demonstrating a humanoid robot by 2027. Despite the team's dissolution, the company insists robotics remains a core, long-term part of its mission.

The reorganization signals a strategic industry pivot: OpenAI is betting that its large, general-purpose AI models—trained on language, code, and vision—can directly power robots without needing specialized, custom-built 'brains.' This 'embodied AI' approach could streamline development but also raises questions about focus, as evidenced by an empty, pre-booked booth at a major robotics conference this week. It's a high-stakes gamble that AI's physical future lies in repurposing digital minds.