The company is recruiting for three key positions: a systems integration electrical engineer, a mechanical product engineer, and a technical project manager. These roles will focus on developing sensors, mechanical components, and overseeing product development for what OpenAI describes as the “next generation of embodied AI.”
In October 2020, OpenAI shuttered its robotics division to focus on large language models. At the time, the company cited insufficient training data as a major obstacle.
The original program had achieved notable success, including the development of Dactyl, a robotic hand that successfully solved a Rubik’s cube.
The renewed focus on hardware development suggests a strategic evolution in OpenAI’s approach to artificial general intelligence (AGI). The company appears to be moving beyond pure software solutions, potentially taking advantage of its advances in generative AI to enhance robot capabilities in real-world environments.
OpenAI’s current robotics strategy is already being tested through its partnership with Figure AI, which is deploying OpenAI-powered robots in BMW factories.
The program’s revival signals a growing convergence between language models, computer vision, and physical automation, potentially opening new pathways for practical applications of AI in the physical world.