OpenAI disbands its standalone robotics team, moving its staff to research and Applied units, saying models like GPT-6 Astra can be directly applied to robotics

OpenAI has disbanded its standalone robotics team, reassigning researchers and hardware staff to its main research and Applied organizations. The company states that general-purpose frontier models like GPT-6 Astra can now be applied directly to robotics, eliminating the need for specialized models. The reorganization reflects a broader industry bet on embodied AI, though some academics and startup founders argue that dedicated robotics expertise and site-specific deployment data remain essential. Open article →