Elon Musk Claims Tesla Will Use Humanoid Robots in Factories by 2025

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the company will begin utilizing “genuinely useful” humanoid robots in its factories starting next year. Musk claims these robots, named Optimus, will start performing tasks for Tesla in 2025 and could be available for sale to other companies by 2026.

Musk's Ambitious Claims on Social Media

Musk, known for his ambitious and sometimes overreaching statements on social media, posted on his platform X (formerly Twitter) that Tesla aims to enter “high production” mode to create humanlike robots for commercial use. This isn't the first time Musk has made bold predictions about the Optimus robot. In 2021, he estimated that the robot would be ready for Tesla factory use the following year.

Specifications and Inspiration

Optimus stands approximately 1.7 meters tall, weighs 56 kilograms, and is designed to perform “boring, repetitious, and dangerous” tasks. The robot's name is a nod to Optimus Prime, the heroic leader of the Autobots from the Transformers franchise.

AI Day Demonstrations

At the Tesla AI Day event in 2021, Musk introduced the humanoid robot concept, initially called the “Tesla Bot,” with a peculiar demonstration involving an actor in a bodysuit performing a breakdance to electronic dance music. During the 2022 AI Day event, Musk showcased a prototype of Optimus that walked on stage and waved to the audience. A video was also presented, showing the robot carrying a box, watering plants, and moving metal bars in Tesla's factory.

Mass Production and Cost

Musk has previously expressed his goal for the robots to be mass-produced and priced at less than $20,000 each. Despite past delays and overly optimistic timelines, Musk remains confident in the robot's potential and its future role in Tesla's operations.

Other Delayed Projects

Optimus is not the only Musk project experiencing delays. In 2019, Musk confidently predicted that Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the road by the following year. However, earlier this year, he mentioned a planned unveiling on August 8th would likely be delayed due to requested design changes to the vehicle's front.