During the presentation of Tesla’s Robovan passenger van, a group of Tesla Optimus humanoid robots appeared at the We Robot presentation. The company showed a video of anthropomorphic machines performing everyday human tasks: fetching packages from the porch, watering plants and fetching drinks. And at the presentation itself, the Optimus robot in a cowboy hat poured beer for the guests.
Image Source: Tesla
«Optimus will walk among you. You can walk right up to them and they will serve you drinks,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Robots will be able to do anything, Musk explained: walk the dog, look after children, mow the lawn, serve drinks and perform other actions. “In the long term, one robot will cost between $20,000 and $30,000. I think it will be the biggest product of all,” Musk said.
After the presentation, a live broadcast organized by the company showed how people interact with robots in the crowd. There hasn’t been anything amazing in practice yet: the robots were waving their arms, and one of them was holding a glass of ice. At another table, another machine handed out gift bags to guests and played rock-paper-scissors. The presentation also featured an enclosed gazebo with a group of dancing robots inside. One of the robots poured beer for the guests.
The first Tesla Optimus was presented back in 2021 – then a man in a robot suit appeared on stage with Musk; a year later, a real robot showed the ability to walk, albeit with an unsteady gait. Last year, Musk showed the second-generation Tesla Optimus, which had become faster and lighter; in April he promised that by the end of the year robots would begin to perform “useful tasks” and would go on sale a year later.
The businessman said that Optimus will provide a “fundamental transformation of civilization,” will contribute to the growth of economic indicators “by two orders of magnitude,” and robots will be able to be produced “in very large volumes, ultimately in millions of units.” Priced at around “$20,000,” they will help build “a poverty-free future.”