OpenAI has made a significant strategic hire, bringing on board Caitlin Kalinowski, Meta’s former head of augmented reality glasses hardware, to lead the company’s robotics and consumer hardware initiatives. Kalinowski, who departed Meta in July 2024, announced her new position via LinkedIn, stating she will “initially focus on OpenAI’s robotics work and partnerships to help bring AI into the physical world and unlock its benefits for humanity.”
During her tenure at Meta, Kalinowski oversaw the development of Orion, Meta’s prototype augmented-reality wearable glasses that garnered enthusiastic reception from analysts and consumers when unveiled at Meta’s Connect event in September 2024. The Orion glasses represent cutting-edge AR technology, though they come with a hefty price tag—reportedly costing around $10,000 per pair to manufacture. Meta has not yet announced an official release date for the consumer version of these glasses.
This strategic hire signals OpenAI’s renewed commitment to robotics, a field the company previously abandoned when it shuttered its robotics team in 2020. According to Forbes reporting from May 2024, OpenAI had already begun hiring research engineers to rebuild the robotics division, which the company subsequently confirmed. However, OpenAI’s approach differs from traditional robotics companies—rather than building robots directly, the company plans to develop foundational AI technology that humanoid robot manufacturers like Physical Intelligence can integrate into their own systems.
The move comes as OpenAI expands beyond its core ChatGPT product into physical AI applications. The company is also collaborating with former Apple design chief Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs (widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs) on a new AI device startup. Ive confirmed this partnership in a New York Times profile published in September 2024.
Kalinowski’s expertise in consumer hardware development, particularly in the AR/VR space, positions OpenAI to bridge the gap between its advanced AI models and real-world applications. Her leadership could prove crucial as the company seeks to translate its software prowess into tangible consumer products and robotic systems that can operate in physical environments.
Key Quotes
In my new role, I will initially focus on OpenAI’s robotics work and partnerships to help bring AI into the physical world and unlock its benefits for humanity
Caitlin Kalinowski announced this in her LinkedIn post revealing her new position at OpenAI. This statement underscores OpenAI’s strategic direction toward embodied AI and physical applications, moving beyond purely digital interfaces to real-world robotics and hardware integration.
Our Take
OpenAI’s hire of Kalinowski reveals a calculated strategy to dominate the next frontier of AI: physical embodiment. While competitors like Google and Tesla have maintained continuous robotics programs, OpenAI’s four-year hiatus followed by this high-profile hire suggests a more deliberate, partnership-focused approach. Rather than competing directly with robot manufacturers, OpenAI appears positioned to become the intelligence layer—the “brain”—that powers diverse robotic platforms. This mirrors the successful platform strategies of companies like Microsoft and Google in software. The collaboration with Jony Ive adds another dimension, suggesting OpenAI envisions consumer AI devices that combine sophisticated intelligence with Apple-level design aesthetics. Kalinowski’s experience shipping actual hardware products at Meta, not just prototypes, could prove invaluable as OpenAI transitions from research lab to hardware company. The $10,000 cost of Meta’s Orion glasses also highlights the immense technical and financial challenges ahead.
Why This Matters
This hire represents a pivotal moment in OpenAI’s evolution from a pure AI software company to a player in physical AI and consumer hardware. By bringing on Meta’s AR hardware expert, OpenAI signals serious ambitions to compete not just in the digital realm but in the physical world where AI-powered devices and robots operate.
The timing is significant as the AI industry enters a new phase where the focus shifts from purely conversational AI to embodied intelligence—AI systems that can perceive, navigate, and manipulate the physical world. Companies like Tesla, Boston Dynamics, and numerous startups are racing to develop humanoid robots and AI-powered devices, creating a massive market opportunity.
For businesses and consumers, this development suggests that AI will increasingly manifest in physical products beyond smartphones and computers—from smart glasses to household robots. OpenAI’s strategy of building foundational technology for other manufacturers to integrate could establish it as the “operating system” for next-generation robotics, similar to how Android powers diverse smartphone manufacturers. This approach could accelerate AI adoption across industries while generating new revenue streams for OpenAI beyond its current subscription and API business models.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-hires-meta-hardware-lead-ar-glasses-orion-2024-11