- Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms potential launch of humanoid robot Optimus in 2025.
- Optimus may perform factory tasks by end of 2024, with broader commercialisation by 2025.
- Musk emphasises the significance of Optimus for Tesla and the broader economy.
During an earnings call this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the potential launch of Optimus, the company’s humanoid robot, by 2025. Musk revealed plans for Optimus to undertake factory tasks by the end of 2024, followed by wider commercial availability the following year.
The road to commercialisation
Elon Musk’s recent remarks shed light on Tesla’s progress in developing Optimus and its anticipated timeline for market release. “We are able to do simple factory tasks in the lab,” Musk said. “And we do think Optimus will have limited production in the factory itself doing useful tasks before the end of this year. Then I think we may be able to sell it externally by the end of next year.”
While Musk acknowledged the speculative nature of these projections, he expressed confidence in the robot’s potential value, suggesting it could be “more valuable than everything else combined” from the company’s production line.
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Superior AI inference and unique features
Musk highlighted Tesla’s superior AI inference technology, a critical component driving Optimus’s functionality. This technology, initially developed for Tesla’s self-driving vehicles, sets Optimus apart from competitors.
Musk emphasised Tesla’s unparalleled efficiency in AI inference, positioning the company as a leader in the development of humanoid robots.
“Tesla’s inference AI is vastly better than any other company,” Musk said. “There’s no company even close to the inference efficiency of Tesla.”
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Updates and teasers
Since its initial announcement in 2022, Tesla has provided glimpses of Optimus’s capabilities through video updates. These include demonstrations of Optimus navigating various tasks such as folding laundry and walking, showcasing its mobility and internal mechanisms.
While Musk previously hinted at a potential rollout of Optimus units in 2024, exact delivery timelines remain undisclosed.
