Elon Musk’s essay was published in the China Cyberspace magazine. It included various topics from renewables to SpaceX and the real-world uses of Optimus. Stated that the bot is to replace human labor in repetitive, dangerous, and boring tasks. Beyond this, he also said that the Optimus will be a robot serving millions of households globally.
Musk wrote, “Tesla Bots are initially positioned to replace people in repetitive, boring, and dangerous tasks. But the vision is for them to serve millions of households, such as cooking, mowing lawns, and caring for the elderly,”
According to the essay, Tesla Bot design will be in such a way because humans generally are used to interacting with humanoid forms. As the Tesla Bot is intended to be integrated into human society, it is sensible for the robot to also have human attributes. Stated, “The Tesla Bot is close to the height and weight of an adult, can carry or pick up heavy objects, walk fast in small steps, and the screen on its face is an interactive interface for communication with people. You may wonder why we designed this robot with legs. Because human society is based on the interaction of a bipedal humanoid with two arms and ten fingers. So if we want a robot to adapt to its environment and be able to do what humans do, it has to be roughly the same size, shape, and capabilities as a human.”
Prototype
Furthermore, a prototype of the humanoid robot is expected to be unveiled next month during AI Day 2. According to Musk in his essay, Tesla’s focus for now would be on improving the intelligence of Optimus, as well as solving the problem of the robot’s large-scale production. This may seem like a steep hill to climb, but it should be noted that Tesla has faced similar challenges in the past, particularly with the Model 3 ramp. Musk noted, however, that as production of the Tesla Bot scales up, its costs will fall, making it more attainable for consumers.
Musk wrote, “In the future, a home robot may be cheaper than a car. Perhaps in less than a decade, people will be able to buy a robot for their parents as a birthday gift.” Musk says he plans to release a prototype for a humanoid robot this year, and hopes that in a decade production will ramp, AI will improve and prices will drop, allowing people to “buy a robot for their parents as a birthday gift.”