Tesla's Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, recently announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that his company's Optimus humanoid robot will be sold to the public by the end of next year. The announcement has sparked excitement among investors, with Tesla's stock surging over three percent on the news. However, some experts are expressing skepticism about Musk's optimistic timeline.
Musk claims that the robots have already begun performing simple tasks in the Tesla factory and that they will be released when Tesla is confident in their reliability, safety, and functionality. While Musk asserts that the Optimus robot has already made progress, there is no concrete proof of this claim. In fact, previous demos of the robots in action have been questioned, with some reports suggesting that they were remotely piloted by human operators.
Additionally, program head for the project, Milan Kovac, recently left the company, which may cast doubt on the ambitious timeline set by Musk. Autonomous robots capable of performing complex tasks across various categories are unlikely to be ready for commercial deployment by 2027. The promise of Optimus robot is reminiscent of previous exaggerated timelines, such as Musk's claims of developing autonomous driving technology and achieving artificial general intelligence within two years.
Furthermore, Tesla's long-awaited Cybercab is expected to enter production in April with a goal of manufacturing two million vehicles per year. While this may not be as far-fetched as the Optimus promise, the two million number seems highly suspect, given the limited market demand for cars without steering wheels that only hold two people.
Musk's history of making ambitious and often unrealistic announcements has led many to question his ability to deliver on these promises. As the company continues to push forward with its humanoid robot project, it remains to be seen whether Tesla can meet its lofty expectations.
Musk claims that the robots have already begun performing simple tasks in the Tesla factory and that they will be released when Tesla is confident in their reliability, safety, and functionality. While Musk asserts that the Optimus robot has already made progress, there is no concrete proof of this claim. In fact, previous demos of the robots in action have been questioned, with some reports suggesting that they were remotely piloted by human operators.
Additionally, program head for the project, Milan Kovac, recently left the company, which may cast doubt on the ambitious timeline set by Musk. Autonomous robots capable of performing complex tasks across various categories are unlikely to be ready for commercial deployment by 2027. The promise of Optimus robot is reminiscent of previous exaggerated timelines, such as Musk's claims of developing autonomous driving technology and achieving artificial general intelligence within two years.
Furthermore, Tesla's long-awaited Cybercab is expected to enter production in April with a goal of manufacturing two million vehicles per year. While this may not be as far-fetched as the Optimus promise, the two million number seems highly suspect, given the limited market demand for cars without steering wheels that only hold two people.
Musk's history of making ambitious and often unrealistic announcements has led many to question his ability to deliver on these promises. As the company continues to push forward with its humanoid robot project, it remains to be seen whether Tesla can meet its lofty expectations.