Tesla’s big bet on humanoid robots: science fiction turning real?

Since unveiling its human-like robot Optimus in 2022, Elon Musk has positioned Tesla’s droid as a key part of his AI ambitions — alongside self-driving robotaxis and Cybertrucks. Investors appear to share his vision, approving a $1 trillion pay package tied partly to Musk delivering a million AI bots over the next decade.

The humanoid robot race is heating up across Silicon Valley. A Morgan Stanley report predicts Apple could earn $133bn a year from humanoids by 2040, while Foxconn is reportedly deploying them in its Nvidia factory in Texas, BBC writes. 

The appeal is clear: AI-powered machines in human form could interact naturally with the physical world. Companies like UK-based Humanoid are targeting factories, while Norway’s 1X Technologies plans to launch “Neo” in 2026 — a $20,000 robot capable of household chores, though the Wall Street Journal noted it’s currently “controlled by a person wearing a virtual reality headset.”

According to Forrester analyst Brian Hopkins, advances in dexterity, AI, and falling component costs are rapidly expanding real-world use cases. “From warehouses and restaurants to elder care and security, new use cases are gaining traction fast,” he wrote. “If current trajectories hold, humanoid robots could disrupt many physical-service industries significantly by 2030.”

Musk told investors Tesla’s robots could “be more significant than the vehicle business, over time,” and later claimed they might be “the biggest product of all time by far, bigger than cell phones, bigger than anything.” He’s also hinted that Optimus could drive Tesla’s push toward artificial general intelligence (AGI), saying: “Tesla AI might play a role in AGI, given that it trains against the outside world, especially with the advent of Optimus.”

Meanwhile, Boston Dynamics continues to wow audiences with its acrobatic Atlas robots, and its newer all-electric model promises even greater flexibility.

Still, many roboticists remain skeptical of the humanoid form.

“Wheels are so much more efficient,” one scientist noted, questioning why robots need legs — or heads. Yet human-like machines remain a powerful cultural fascination, from C-3PO to The Terminator.

Tesla’s Optimus has recently appeared serving food at a Hollywood diner, signaling its growing real-world presence. Even Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, admits that while “the world is [not] ready for humanoids,” their arrival is inevitable.

And with Musk’s resources, ambition, and influence, that future may be closer than it seems.

By Sabina Mammadli