OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warned that society is unprepared for the impending arrival of humanoid robots performing everyday jobs, which he described as a soon-to-come “humanoid robots moment.”

Altman highlighted that people may soon encounter multiple robots walking down the street doing tasks, evoking a sci-fi sensation, and emphasized that this change is imminent.

He contrasted this development with common concerns about AI replacing white-collar jobs, noting that humanoid robots will have a more direct, visceral impact.

OpenAI recently partnered with Figure AI, a startup creating humanoid robots for sectors like manufacturing and retail, underscoring AI’s broad job impact including job displacement and creation.