TLDR: Expectations for the widespread commercialization of humanoid robots, dubbed ‘dream devices,’ are rapidly increasing due to significant advancements in both hardware and supporting AI software. OpenMind, founded by Stanford Professor Jan Rifhardt, is at the forefront with its general-purpose AI operating system, OM1. This OS aims to provide robots with an ‘intelligent brain’ for real-time learning and decision-making, similar to humans, and is compatible with various robot types, including Tesla Optimus. The article highlights that mass manufacturing capabilities, akin to the smartphone industry, will be crucial for humanoids to become everyday technology, presenting a significant opportunity for manufacturing powerhouses like Korea.
The vision of humanoid robots becoming an integral part of daily life is rapidly approaching, fueled by concurrent breakthroughs in hardware technology and sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) software. These ‘dream devices’ are poised for commercialization, with experts emphasizing that their ubiquity hinges not just on advanced mechanics, but on the synergistic power of robust software and scalable mass production.
Jan Rifhardt, founder and CEO of OpenMind, a company developing a universal AI operating system for intelligent robots, recently articulated this shift. In an interview with ‘The Tech Wave’ this week, Rifhardt stated, “Just as Android opened the era of smartphone commercialization, the robot’s operating system (OS) will become a ‘game changer.'” OpenMind, established by the Stanford University professor and an expert in AI, biology, and distributed systems, is dedicated to accelerating humanoid commercialization by integrating software operating systems and governance within the complex humanoid ecosystem. Key tenets of their approach include open systems (open source), shared artificial intelligence, and distributed networks.
At the core of OpenMind’s innovation is OM1, a general-purpose AI operating system designed for compatibility across diverse robot manufacturers. Unlike conventional robots that execute pre-programmed tasks, OM1 endows robots with an “intelligent brain” capable of real-time environmental perception, judgment, and learning, mirroring human cognitive processes. Rifhardt likens OM1 to the Android OS, which can be installed on any smartphone, enabling it to inject ‘intelligence’ into a wide array of robots, from Tesla Optimus to China’s Unitree, and across various form factors such as drones, quadruped robots, and humanoids.
During his visit to Korea to foster collaboration within the local robot ecosystem, CEO Rifhardt elaborated on the evolving landscape of robot OS technology and the humanoid market’s prospects. He noted that while hardware companies might develop proprietary OS, the trend is likely to favor integrated OS solutions, much like the smartphone market. He sees this as an opportunity for OpenMind, citing examples where their OS enables educational products to reconstruct curricula for diverse tasks.
Addressing skepticism about the immediate commercial viability of humanoids, Rifhardt strongly refutes it. He points out that robots are already deployed in approximately 200 applications across homes, schools, and hospitals, performing meaningful utilities without requiring ‘extreme specifications’ like 24-hour batteries or 5G precision manipulation. OpenMind plans to distribute ‘Quantum Pet’ (dog-form robots) to U.S. households to gather real-world usage data, focusing on “mass verification of meaningful utilities that are currently possible with hardware” rather than “perfect human simulation.”
The next five years in the Robotics OS market are expected to be dynamic. While some companies like Tesla Optimus may pursue fully integrated, closed ecosystems, Rifhardt emphasizes that the true challenge lies in ‘manufacturing on a scale of millions.’ This suggests that companies with robust mass manufacturing capabilities will likely dominate the humanoid market, highlighting the importance of experience in producing high-quality, low-cost batteries, sensors, computing components, and software in large volumes. This strategic advantage positions manufacturing powerhouses like Korea, with its established industries in smartphones (Samsung, LG) and automobiles (Hyundai), as crucial players in the emerging humanoid market, capable of mass-producing what Rifhardt terms “smartphones with legs.”
Korea, despite concerns about lagging in large-scale language models (LLM), is urged to focus intensively on robotics. Rifhardt believes the LLM gap is not fatal, as real-world field systems combine 10 to 20 models, with an increasing number of open-source options. The critical factors are “volume manufacturing” and “quick upgrades through OS,” rather than the models themselves. He advocates for parallel development across engines, software, materials, hydrodynamics, education, and price competitiveness, rather than an “all-in” approach on a single breakthrough.
Regarding the growing interest in “Physical AI”—the convergence of AI and robots—Rifhardt identifies ‘large-scale product manufacturing’ as the next competitive frontier. Companies excelling in ‘volume, trust, price, noise, and durability,’ such as LG, Samsung, Huawei, and Hyundai, are well-positioned. Korea’s strong manufacturing DNA, coupled with its excellent university and talent pool, makes it a “rare hub candidate” for cooperation. OpenMind has actively engaged with the Korean robot ecosystem, co-hosting the “Open Robotics AI Forum Korea” and collaborating with LG Electronics and Am Intelligence on integrated robot safety technology.
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OpenMind is also integrating blockchain technology into robots through ‘FABRIC,’ a distributed network that enables robots to identify, share information, and learn from each other’s experiences. This collective memory device, combined with the OM1 OS, allows robots to access a global intelligence network and collaborate reliably, facilitating autonomous logistics, insurance, and payment systems for robots operating in diverse environments. Rifhardt’s ultimate entrepreneurial goal is to foster a world where children can engage with open technology, not a ‘magic black box,’ by releasing core software as open source and encouraging collaborative improvement.
