At a time when companies like Elon Musk ’s Tesla are looking to offload some tasks on robots, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said that society is unprepared for the arrival of humanoid robots in everyday life — a development he believes is approaching rapidly.
In an interview with Bloomberg aired this week, Altman said people are still focused on artificial intelligence's (AI) impact on desk-based jobs, such as programming and customer support. However, he warned that physical robots capable of performing real-world tasks may soon become part of daily life, and the public isn’t ready for it.
"I don't think the world has really had the humanoid robots moment yet. It's gonna feel very sci-fi," Altman said.
He described a scenario where it becomes normal to see multiple robots walking down the street performing tasks previously done by humans.
“It’s not very far away. People are going to have a visceral reaction when they see robots doing things humans used to do,” he added.
Recently, Musk shared a video on his handle on X, showcasing Tesla’s Optimus robot taking up tasks like throwing the trash away, cleaning a kitchen shelf and more.
He captioned the video. “The biggest product ever.”
OpenAI partners with robotics startup Figure AI
Altman’s comments come after OpenAI partnered with Figure AI in February, a startup working on humanoid robots for practical roles in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and retail. The company’s first model, Figure-01, is designed to assist with everyday tasks in these industries.
Altman also reiterated his stance that while AI will eliminate some jobs, it will also create new ones.
“AI is, for sure, going to change a lot of jobs, totally take some jobs away, create a bunch of new ones,” he said.
He added that OpenAI has consistently tried to be transparent about the potential impact of its technologies, even if some predictions turn out to be inaccurate.
“I think I am way too self-aware of my own limitations to sit here and try to say I can tell you what's on the other side of that wormhole," Altman said.
In an interview with Bloomberg aired this week, Altman said people are still focused on artificial intelligence's (AI) impact on desk-based jobs, such as programming and customer support. However, he warned that physical robots capable of performing real-world tasks may soon become part of daily life, and the public isn’t ready for it.
"I don't think the world has really had the humanoid robots moment yet. It's gonna feel very sci-fi," Altman said.
He described a scenario where it becomes normal to see multiple robots walking down the street performing tasks previously done by humans.
“It’s not very far away. People are going to have a visceral reaction when they see robots doing things humans used to do,” he added.
Recently, Musk shared a video on his handle on X, showcasing Tesla’s Optimus robot taking up tasks like throwing the trash away, cleaning a kitchen shelf and more.
He captioned the video. “The biggest product ever.”
The biggest product ever
— Kekius Maximus (@elonmusk) May 21, 2025
pic.twitter.com/AgmU7AjcDT
OpenAI partners with robotics startup Figure AI
Altman’s comments come after OpenAI partnered with Figure AI in February, a startup working on humanoid robots for practical roles in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and retail. The company’s first model, Figure-01, is designed to assist with everyday tasks in these industries.
Altman also reiterated his stance that while AI will eliminate some jobs, it will also create new ones.
“AI is, for sure, going to change a lot of jobs, totally take some jobs away, create a bunch of new ones,” he said.
He added that OpenAI has consistently tried to be transparent about the potential impact of its technologies, even if some predictions turn out to be inaccurate.
“I think I am way too self-aware of my own limitations to sit here and try to say I can tell you what's on the other side of that wormhole," Altman said.
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