"Elon Musk Expects Historic Achievement: Tesla's Optimus Robots to Dwarf All Previous Robot Creations, Even Surpassing the Size of the Robotaxi"
Tesla's Optimus 3: A Leap Forward in Humanoid Robotics
Tesla is making significant strides in the world of robotics with its latest creation, the Optimus 3 humanoid robot. Elon Musk, the company's CEO, has reaffirmed his belief that Optimus will ultimately be Tesla's most significant product, surpassing its electric vehicle lineup.
The Optimus 3 is a nearly complete redesign focused on elegance, lighter materials for improved mobility, and enhanced functional capabilities. One of its key features is a front-facing digital display, showing status and user information. It will also support Grock, a nearly human-like AI voice integration. The hands have been upgraded to have 22 degrees of freedom, enabling more dexterous and complex tasks.
Tesla is engineering every component of Optimus from scratch, starting with the physics behind each moving part. The same techniques Tesla uses for optimizing AI inference in its car platforms are being applied to Optimus. This approach promises significant improvements over previous versions.
Practical demonstrations have shown Optimus performing tasks like household chores, operating factory tools, and autonomously finding and charging itself. The robot is becoming smarter through extensive training and data collection, including learning from video content.
Production of Optimus 3 is expected to start by early 2026, with ambitions to eventually scale up to a million units annually within five years. However, Tesla is currently behind its 2025 production targets.
If successful, Optimus could usher in an era where intelligent machines function as collaborative partners in everyday life. Musk envisions Optimus functioning in factories, homes, and commercial spaces, potentially spawning a multi-trillion-dollar market for general-purpose robotics.
Key expected features of Tesla Optimus 3 include:
- Front-facing digital status display
- Grock AI voice system with near-human interaction
- Hands with 22 degrees of freedom for complex tasks
- Lighter, more agile design aimed at higher walking speed
- Advanced learning capabilities via video and data training
- Ability to self-charge using onboard cameras
Tesla's investment in the Optimus project currently stands at $49 million. The company believes its expertise in real-world AI positions it uniquely to deliver a humanoid robot capable of autonomous thought, sight, and action in complex environments. The development of Optimus is aided by Tesla's application of self-driving neural networks to humanoid robotics.
Version 3 (Optimus 3) of the robot is on the horizon, offering a clearer view of whether it can live up to Musk's expectations. Musk described Optimus 3 as an "exquisite design" during Tesla's Q2 2025 earnings call, and he declared the upcoming Optimus 3 to be a masterpiece of engineering.
If Tesla manages to deliver on its promises, Optimus 3 could indeed be a major step towards a practical, versatile humanoid robot used in industrial and domestic applications. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting development in robotics.
[1] https://www.tesla.com/news/tesla-optimus-humanoid-robot [2] https://www.tesla.com/blog/optimus-humanoid-robot [3] https://electrek.co/2022/08/18/tesla-optimus-humanoid-robot-walks-unassisted-for-the-first-time/ [4] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/18/tesla-shows-off-optimus-humanoid-robot-that-can-walk-unassisted.html [5] https://www.reuters.com/technology/tesla-shows-off-humanoid-robot-optimus-elon-musks-next-big-bet-2022-08-18/
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be integrated into the Optimus 3 humanoid robot through the use of Grock, a nearly human-like AI voice system. Tesla's expertise in real-world AI, applied to humanoid robotics, is key to the development of Optimus 3.
