Elon Musk unveils new humanoid robot Optimus but people aren't sure
Topics: Tesla, Elon Musk, Technology, Robotics
Daisy Phillipson
Featured Image Credit: Tesla
Topics: Tesla, Elon Musk, Technology, Robotics
Elon Musk has stayed true to his word by unveiling Tesla's new humanoid robot – but experts aren't so sure it's as cutting-edge as the billionaire makes it out to be.
The Tesla founder unveiled the robot, named 'Optimus', at the electric car company's AI day on Friday, September 30.
Footage shows the bot taking to the stage where it waves before doing a little fist-bump dance as fittingly futuristic music plays in the background.
And in true Musk fashion, his presentation on the 'Optimus' was filled with lofty plans that he claims could lead to a 'future where there is no poverty'.
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The 51-year-old tech boss said: "The potential for Optimus is, I would say, appreciated by very few people."
Explaining that the robot has been designed to carry out manual labour, he revealed plans of producing them at high volume with the hope of pushing the price down to as low as $20,000.
"This means a future of abundance – a future where there is no poverty, where you could have whatever you want in terms of products and services," he added.
"It really is a fundamental transformation of civilisation as we know it."
Although Musk clearly has a lot of faith in his worker prototype, some experts have a different opinion on his 'cutting-edge' technology.
While tweeting about last night's event, Robotics expert Cynthia Yeung said: "The AI part seems to be conspicuously missing from Tesla AI Day."
None of this is cutting edge. Hire some PhDs and go to some robotics conferences @Tesla. @iros2022 is coming up in a few weeks! pic.twitter.com/sqWWpPZgK8
— Cynthia Yeung 🤖📦🌱 (@ctwy) October 1, 2022
As for 'Optimus', she wrote: "None of this is cutting edge. Hire some PhDs and go to some robotics conferences @Tesla. @iros2022 is coming up in a few weeks!"
Referencing the fact that Musk said other humanoid robots are 'missing a brain', AI researcher Filip Piekniewski wrote on Twitter: "Gonna do everything the human brain does... Yeah... [Face Palm Emoji] OMG, tunnel was bad but this is over the top."
He added: "This Tesla AI day is next level cringeworthy. Complete and utter scam. Who on earth believes this bulls**t anymore?"
Gonna do everything the human brain does... Yeah... 🤦♂️ OMG, tunnel was bad but this is over the top.
— Filip Piekniewski (@filippie509) October 1, 2022
It appears some people who aren't in the tech business share a similar opinion, with one writing: "The Tesla robot looks like a**. It's amazing how Musk just rolls out another thing that fundamentally does not and will not ever work, just about the time everyone's worked out his cars are s**t, his tunnel company sucks and his workers should unionise."
Not everyone isn't a fan, however, including this person who said: "Elon Musk just unveiled the Tesla robot and it’s LOOKING AMAZING!"
UNILAD has contacted Tesla for comment.
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