At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Elon Musk revealed that Tesla intends to offer its Optimus humanoid robots to consumers by the close of 2025. While Musk has a history of ambitious deadlines, this projection stands out for its boldness. The robots are designed to handle a broad array of activities typically performed by humans.
Musk included a condition for the rollout, noting that the robots would only become available once Tesla achieves strong assurance in their dependability, security, and broad capabilities.
According to Musk, Optimus units are already performing basic operations within Tesla's facilities, though this claim lacks independent verification. In practice, the robots have often underdelivered compared to promotional expectations.
Numerous accounts indicate that earlier demonstrations of the robots involved hidden human control from a distance rather than full autonomy.
Following the disclosure, Tesla's shares rose by more than three percent, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the company's futuristic visions. Musk had previously indicated that the robots could see commercial use as early as 2026. Notably, Milan Kovac, who led the Optimus initiative, has departed from Tesla.
The devices aim to operate independently on intricate assignments in diverse fields. Such advancements may eventually materialize, though a 2027 debut appears improbable. This forecast aligns with Musk's past estimates, including timelines for artificial general intelligence within two years and the technological singularity in five.
In addition, Musk mentioned that the delayed Cybercab vehicle would begin manufacturing in April, targeting an annual output of two million units. This objective seems more attainable than the robot timeline, yet the projected volume raises questions. It remains unclear how much demand exists for a two-passenger autonomous car lacking a steering wheel.