Elon Musk-owned Tesla shows off Optimus humanoid robots at ‘We Robot’ event

At the recent "We Robot" event in California, Tesla, owned by Elon Musk, showcased several humanoid robots known as Optimus. These robots were observed engaging in tasks such as walking around, serving beverages, and distributing gift bags to attendees on October 10.

In addition to the Optimus robots, Tesla unveiled its highly anticipated self-driving robotaxi, dubbed the Cybercab, along with a larger self-driving vehicle named Robovan, which can accommodate up to 20 passengers. A video demonstration featured Optimus performing household chores like watering plants and collecting packages. Musk claimed during his presentation, “The Optimus will walk amongst you. You’ll be able to walk right up to them, and they will serve drinks,” further elaborating that the robot could even handle pet-walking, childcare, and lawn mowing.

However, those eager to utilize Tesla's Optimus for factory work or pet care may need to exercise patience, as Musk previously indicated that the robots would not be operational until 2026. Nevertheless, they might appear on the factory floor much sooner. Musk has consistently expressed a vision for the Optimus robots that extends beyond industrial applications. In 2022, he revealed the first bipedal Optimus prototype, which was capable of walking onto the stage and waving to the audience. Concerns arose about the robot's autonomy when it was disclosed that the Optimus Gen 2 was remotely controlled during a video demonstration.

The latest event confirmed that Tesla has indeed progressed in achieving autonomous movement for Optimus.

One attendee tweeted: “Optimus, make me a drink, please,” highlighting the distinction between artificial intelligence and human intervention, as remote assistance was utilized during demonstrations. This raises anticipation for next year’s AI day, where further developments in Optimus's learning capabilities are expected to be showcased.