OpenAI-backed robotics company 1X opens new factory in California, USA
Norway-founded, OpenAI-supported robotics startup 1X Technologies has opened a new 58,000 square foot factory in Hayward, California, aiming to lead in the mass production of consumer humanoid robots.
The facility was built in a matter of months and will serve as a major manufacturing center, with an expected first-year capacity of 10,000 robots.
1X plans to produce a total of 100,000 robots by the end of 2027, while also constructing a larger production base in San Carlos, with product deliveries expected to begin by the end of this year.
Source: Public information
ABAB AI Insight
1X Technologies has previously received strategic support and investment from OpenAI. The rapid opening of the Hayward factory continues its expansion path from the Norwegian R&D base to manufacturing in the U.S. Earlier, it launched prototypes of the EVE and NEO humanoid robots, directly targeting the consumer market rather than just industrial scenarios, accelerating the transition from prototype testing to mass production delivery.
In terms of capital, 1X is leveraging OpenAI resources and venture capital to quickly ramp up factory capacity to 10,000 units in the first year and plans for a larger base in San Carlos, motivated by capturing early market share in consumer humanoid robots. By scaling production, it aims to reduce the cost per unit while binding technology (vision + language + physical reasoning) with manufacturing capabilities, paving the way for future home and service scenario deliveries.
Similar to Figure AI or Agility Robotics establishing factories in the U.S., or Tesla Optimus building its own Gigafactory, 1X is currently in the early expansion phase of transitioning consumer humanoid robots from laboratory prototypes to commercial mass production, focusing on building capacity barriers within California's manufacturing ecosystem.
Essentially, this represents a restructuring of the industry chain: humanoid robots are rapidly establishing factories through startups to shift from R&D-driven to manufacturing-driven, enabled by OpenAI technology and rapid deployment of local U.S. capacity, reducing supply chain dependence and accelerating iteration, allowing the pricing power of consumer robots to structurally shift from the conceptual stage to deliverable products.