TESLA used humans to remotely control some capabilities of its Optimus robot prototypes at a recent event designed to generate investor enthusiasm for forthcoming products, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Employees stationed elsewhere oversaw many of the interactions between the humanoid machines and attendees of last week’s We, Robot showcase near Los Angeles, said the sources, who asked not to be identified discussing company operations. The Optimus prototypes were able to walk without external control using artificial intelligence, the sources said.
Tesla representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Some attendees said on social media afterwards that the robots had help and at least one video posted online purportedly from the Oct 10 Cybercab event shows an Optimus bartender acknowledging that it was being “assisted by a human.” That was not stated by chief executive officer Elon Musk during his remarks on a webcast.
The use of human input raises questions over the capabilities and market readiness of the bot, which Musk said last week he expects to be “the biggest product ever of any kind”. The CEO told the crowd it will handle many household tasks and could eventually be available to consumers for US$20,000 to US$30,000 each.
“What can it do?” Musk said. “It can be a teacher, babysit your kids, it can walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries, just be your friend, serve drinks. Whatever you can think of, it will do.”
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While Tesla had previously shown Optimus prototypes, last week was the first time non-employees had a chance to interact directly with the black-and-white machines. They poured drinks for attendees, gave high fives and even played rock, paper, scissors.
The robot’s capabilities have long been closely watched by investors, even if the product’s launch timing remains uncertain. Observers noted in 2022 when an early prototype had to be carried onstage by people. Tesla has also posted updates showing versions that could sort blocks and dance.
Robotaxi launch
Originally, Optimus was not due to feature in last week’s event at all. Musk had requested their inclusion about three weeks prior, according to a source familiar with the matter. The late notice meant that there was not time to get the software up to speed, making remote operation necessary, the source said.
Optimus was one of several products highlighted at the event, along with the introduction of the Cybercab robotaxi and a van concept. Guests at the invite-only launch – including investors, Wall Street analysts and fans of the automaker – took short rides in autonomously driven vehicles that were not human-controlled.
The flashy event, held on a movie studio lot, was broadly seen as underwhelming due to its lack of technical details and vagueness on the plans for the robotaxi business. The following day, Tesla’s shares suffered the worst decline in more than two months.
Musk had been due to discuss a wider range of autonomous-driving-related items on stage, said one of the sources familiar with the matter. The presentation was going to include more details about the plan for autonomous technology for Tesla’s Semi truck, details of the app behind a future ride-hailing service and pricing for software suites. But Musk either skipped over the material or removed it from the event, the source said.
Many of the attendees cited their interactions with Optimus as a standout feature of the Tesla showcase.
“Optimus stole the show in my view,” Nancy Tengler, chief executive officer of Laffer Tengler Investments, said in a note to clients after attending the event. “Optimus paraded in and danced and looked remarkably human.”
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called the soiree a “glimpse of the future”, saying in a writeup that the human-mimicking robot is “potentially much closer to a reality” than thought heading into the evening.
Gene Munster, managing partner of growth investment firm Deepwater Asset Management, acknowledged the idea that Optimus was remotely controlled and said he had been “fooled” at the event. Still, he said in a post on Musk’s X platform, it gave a “window into the potential around these products”. BLOOMBERG
