Additional Coverage:
- Elon Musk just told Davos that Tesla will sell humanoid robots next year, really, he swears (engadget.com)
Musk’s Latest Predictions: Robots by 2027, Robotaxis Soon?
Davos, Switzerland – Tesla CEO Elon Musk made waves at the World Economic Forum, announcing that the company’s Optimus humanoid robot could be commercially available by the end of 2027. This ambitious timeline, however, comes with familiar caveats from the tech magnate.
Musk stated that the robots would only be released once Tesla is “confident that it’s very high reliability, very high safety and the range of functionality is also very high.” He also claimed that Optimus robots are already performing basic tasks within Tesla factories, though no independent verification of these claims has been provided.
The announcement sparked a more than three percent jump in Tesla’s stock, reflecting investor enthusiasm for Musk’s futuristic visions. However, the Optimus project has faced scrutiny, with previous demonstrations reportedly utilizing human control rather than true autonomy. Adding to the project’s turbulent history, Milan Kovac, the program head for Optimus, reportedly departed from Tesla in July 2023.
Musk has a history of optimistic timelines, having previously suggested commercial deployment of the robots by 2026. Critics suggest that the 2027 target, while still aggressive, is more in line with a pattern of ambitious projections that often shift.
In related news, Musk also revealed that Tesla’s long-anticipated Cybercab, a two-person vehicle without a steering wheel, is slated to begin production in April. He set an ambitious target of producing two million Cybercabs by 2028, a figure that some analysts find questionable given the niche market for such a vehicle.