Elon Musk Says Tesla to Use Humanoid Robots Next Year
CEO says the electric-vehicle maker would use the robots internally first before producing them for other companies
Elon Musk said Tesla TSLA 5.15%increase; green up pointing triangle will have humanoid robots in production to be used within the company next year.
He said Monday morning that Tesla would use the robot for internal use first and then aim to produce it for other companies in 2026. Tesla, an electric-vehicle maker, has been working on the robot for several years as part of its efforts to expand into robotics and artificial intelligence.
Musk, Tesla’s billionaire chief executive, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he believed the humanoid robots would be “genuinely useful.” Tesla wants the robots to help produce its cars more efficiently, complete difficult chores and reduce labor shortages.
Musk showed off a prototype version in 2022 of a humanoid robot called Optimus that took a few steps, waved to a crowd and performed basic dance moves. He said it was the first time the robot had operated without a tether. He also demonstrated a sleeker but nonfunctioning model that he said was closer to production.
The humanoid robots, an offshoot of Tesla’s driverless-car technology, has excited some investors. Musk has long wanted to frame Tesla as an AI company in part by showing off its robots and car automation.
He has a record of predicting timelines that don’t always pan out. Musk said in an earnings call in April that he thought Optimus would be able to complete factory tasks by the end of this year and go on sale by next year.
Tesla shares rose 5% on Monday. The stock has risen roughly 75% since late April, a sharp rebound after a steep decline in the beginning of the year. Overall, it is roughly unchanged so far in 2024.
He said Monday that Tesla’s humanoid robots would first be in low production, which typically means something is made in small amounts. Musk said Tesla aimed to produce the robots in larger quantities for 2026.
He has said the company wanted the robots to have a price point below $20,000. The robots are expected to have conversational capabilities and include safeguards to prevent wrongdoing.
Companies in recent years have been ramping up work on humanoid robots that can do menial human tasks. Some companies have used the robots in warehouses to speed up logistics operations.