Sam Altman Backs Alfred at $40 Million Valuation as Physical AI Funding Hits $5.3 Billion
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Jun 1
Sam Altman Backs Alfred at $40 Million Valuation as Physical AI Funding Hits $5.3 Billion
3 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Jun 1
Alfred, a 9-month-old stealth startup in Hawthorne, is seeking funding at a $40 million valuation with backing from Sam Altman, Khosla Ventures, SV Angel and Chapter One.
The company is building software to help engineers develop robots and cars faster, with founders Ankit Ukil and Dömötör Gulyas pitching shorter R&D cycles and less manual design work.
Former Tesla, Meta, Ford and Honda staff make up the team, and Ukil said Alfred is already in active talks with automakers, defense groups and robotics companies.
$5.3 billion flowed into physical AI startups in April alone, underscoring the investor rush as Nvidia unveils a humanoid robot blueprint and Altman calls robotics OpenAI's next frontier.
As AI models become common, what is the real moat for physical AI startups against tech giants?
Beyond accelerating manufacturing, what is the true price society will pay for a future filled with personal robots?
Hardware engineering is slow because 'physics gets a vote.' Can AI software truly solve these real-world physical constraints?
Alfred Raises $100M Backed by Sam Altman: The Race to Dominate Physical AI and Robotics in 2026
Overview
In June 2026, Sam Altman made a significant personal investment in Alfred, a physical AI startup co-founded by Ankit Ukil and Dömötör Gulyas, who bring experience from Tesla and Meta Reality Labs. Alfred is focused on developing advanced software to power robots and cars, aiming to accelerate manufacturing and R&D. The company’s flagship platform is under active development and is already in talks with major players in automotive, defense, and robotics. Altman’s backing highlights the growing recognition of physical AI’s potential and the importance of top talent in driving innovation in this rapidly evolving sector.