Tesla, the electric car company led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, has been developing a humanoid robot called Optimus that could potentially replace human labor in many fields. The company has recently announced that it plans to start production of the robot in 2025, and has released a demo video showing its latest prototype, Optimus Gen 2.
Optimus is a humanoid robot that stands at 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds. It has a screen for a face that can display information and emotions, and a body that is designed to mimic human movements and gestures. It is powered by Tesla’s own batteries and electric motors, and uses the same artificial intelligence (AI) system that runs Tesla’s self-driving cars.
Tesla’s vision for Optimus is to create a robot that can do anything that humans don’t want to do, or are unable to do. Musk has said that Optimus could perform tasks such as grocery shopping, house cleaning, factory work, and even entertainment. He has also claimed that Optimus could help solve the problem of labor shortage and income inequality, by providing cheap and reliable workers for various industries, and by generating wealth for its owners.
How has Optimus evolved over time?
Tesla first unveiled Optimus at its AI Day event in August 2022, where it showed a dancer in a robot suit as a visual aid, and a prototype that could barely walk and wave. The announcement was met with skepticism and ridicule by many, who doubted Tesla’s ability to deliver on its ambitious promises.
However, Tesla has been making steady progress on Optimus since then, and has released several updates on its development. In September 2022, Tesla showed a prototype that could sort objects autonomously using neural networks. In March 2023, Tesla revealed Optimus Gen 1, a more refined version that could walk faster, balance better, and manipulate objects with its hands. And in December 2023, Tesla unveiled Optimus Gen 2, the latest prototype that features all Tesla-designed actuators and sensors, and can perform tasks such as crouching, holding eggs without breaking them, and folding shirts.
When will Optimus be available and how much will it cost?
Tesla has said that it plans to start production of Optimus in 2025, and that it will be priced at $50,000. However, Musk has also warned that there could be delays and challenges in the process, and that Optimus is still a work-in-progress. He has also said that Optimus will be designed to be friendly and safe, and that it will have a speed and strength limit that will prevent it from harming humans.
Tesla’s Optimus project is one of the most ambitious and controversial endeavors in the field of robotics and AI. It has the potential to revolutionize the future of work and society, but it also raises many ethical and social questions. Will Optimus be a boon or a bane for humanity? Only time will tell.
