After taking a five-year break from robotics research, OpenAI is making a comeback by actively recruiting researchers specializing in humanoid robots. The newly assembled team will concentrate on two key areas: sensing technology and prototype design. Their overarching ambition is to develop general-purpose robots, which are envisioned as a crucial step in expediting the achievement of artificial general intelligence.

While there hasn't been an official confirmation, the clues and the professional backgrounds of the newly recruited members strongly suggest a focus on humanoid robots. Back in 2020, OpenAI decided to put its robotics research on hold, citing a lack of adequate training data as the primary reason. However, this year in January, the company posted several job openings related to robotics. This move signals its readiness to relaunch the project and delve deeper into the exploration of AI applications in the tangible, physical world.