Exclusive: OpenAI disbands stand-alone robotics team as general AI models start running robots

Key Points:

• OpenAI disbanded its standalone robotics team in 2025, shifting focus to developing general-purpose AI models like GPT-6 Astra that can directly control robots, reflecting a broader industry trend toward embodied AI using unified models for language, vision, and robotics tasks.
• The company’s CEO Sam Altman aims for a public demonstration of its own humanoid robot by 2027, despite ending its partnership with Figure, which decided to develop its own robot AI independently.
• OpenAI’s reorganization is partly driven by cost-cutting and a strategic focus on core products amid heavy operating losses and preparations for a potential IPO in early 2027.
• Experts note that while general-purpose models show strong performance in simulated robotic tasks, specialized robotics companies still benefit from real-world deployment experience and onsite data, which are crucial for adapting robots to specific environments.
• Challenges remain, such as the need for smaller, onboard AI models that do not rely on constant cloud connectivity, indicating that specialized robotics intelligence may still play a role alongside general AI models.