Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, recently announced on his social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) that the company plans to begin manufacturing its humanoid robots, named Optimus, for internal use in 2024, with a broader market release targeted for 2026. Musk emphasized that these robots will initially be utilized within Tesla’s own operations, performing tasks that are unsafe, repetitive, or boring, before becoming available to other companies.
Optimus is designed to be an autonomous humanoid robot, with ambitions for mass production at a price point below $20,000 (£17,900). While Musk has set ambitious timelines for Tesla’s projects in the past, such as the self-driving taxis he confidently predicted for 2020, he has not always met these targets.
Tesla’s stock saw a more than 5% increase following Musk’s announcement, which preceded the release of the company’s latest financial results. This uptick indicates investor confidence in Tesla’s future technological advancements despite the company’s shifting focus toward AI, autonomous driving, and robotics amidst a slowdown in electric vehicle demand.
Musk’s Optimus announcement came amidst other news about Tesla, including delays in unveiling the long-awaited robotaxi, now expected in October. Musk cited a request for design changes as the reason for the delay but assured that the additional time would allow Tesla to showcase other innovations.
Tesla’s push into humanoid robots is part of Musk’s broader vision for integrating advanced AI technologies into everyday tasks, aiming to create efficient and cost-effective solutions for various industries.
