Visitors look at Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus at its exhibition booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on July 5, 2024. STR/AFP via Getty Images
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Monday, July 22, that Tesla will begin using humanoid robots internally next year. As shared by Reuters, the robots, which are in "low production," are set to be deployed within the company's own operations, such as factories and offices.
This announcement follows Musk's earlier statement that the Tesla robots, known as Optimus, would start performing factory tasks by the end of this year.
By 2026, Tesla hopes to have the robots in high production for use by other companies.
Musk's announcement coincides with a growing interest in humanoid robots, which have been in development by other major companies like Honda and Hyundai Motor's Boston Dynamics. These robots are designed to address potential labor shortages and handle repetitive or dangerous tasks in industries such as logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing.
Despite Musk's ambitious plans, he has a history of making bold promises that have faced delays. For instance, in 2019, he predicted that Tesla would operate a network of "robotaxi" autonomous cars by 2020.
However, the release of the robotaxi has been postponed, with Musk recently indicating that a major design change is needed. According to VCPost, this postponement triggered an 8% drop in Tesla stock.
As for the upcoming internal-use humanoid robot, naming the project Optimum is a nod to the first generation of the Tesla robot, called Bumblebee, which was introduced in September 2022.
With demand for electric vehicles tapering, Musk has shifted his focus to artificial intelligence, autonomous driving software, robotaxis, and the Optimus robot, which now play a crucial role in Tesla's strategy.
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