# Elon Musk set to showcase Tesla’s humanoid robot after delay Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-09-30 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Tesla 'Optimus' Robot Prototype Unveiling at AI Day Meta Description: Get ready for Tesla's 'AI Day' where Elon Musk will unveil a prototype humanoid robot named 'Optimus' to handle boring or dangerous URL: https://financedigest.com/elon-musk-set-to-showcase-teslas-humanoid-robot-after-delayhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-09-30t134430z2lynxmpei8t0ifrtroptp4tesla-robots-1736815115884-compressed.jpg) By Hyunjoo Jin SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said a robot business will be worth more than its cars, and on Friday investors, customers and potential workers expect to see a prototype at Tesla’s “AI Day” that could prove whether the bot named “Optimus” is ready for work. The robot will be the star of the AI show, but Musk is also expected to discuss Tesla’s long-delayed self-driving technology. In May, Musk said that the world’s most valuable carmaker would be “worth [basically zero” without achieving full self-driving](https://www.financedigest.com/investors-go-back-to-basics-with-simpler-self-driving-vehicles.html "Investors go back to basics with simpler self-driving vehicles") capability, and it faces growing regulatory probes, as well as technological hurdles. There will be lots of technical detail & cool hardware demos,” [Musk wrote on Twitter](https://www.financedigest.com/elon-musk-plans-to-cut-half-of-twitter-jobs-bloomberg-news.html "Elon Musk plans to cut half of Twitter jobs – Bloomberg News") late on Wednesday, adding the event was aimed at recruiting engineers. Tesla’s live demonstration record is mixed. Launches typically draw cheers, but in 2019 when Musk had an employee hurl a steel ball at the armored window of a new [electric pickup truck](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-com-to-invest-over-1-billion-euros-in-european-electric-van-truck-fleet.html "Amazon.com to invest over 1 billion euros in European electric van, truck fleet"), the glass cracked. The key [test for the robot](https://www.financedigest.com/rogue-robots-testing-the-limits-of-an-industrial-robots-security.html "Rogue Robots: Testing the Limits of an Industrial Robot’s Security") is whether it can handle unexpected situations. Musk announced Tesla’s [plan for humanoid robots at its AI day in August last year](https://www.financedigest.com/3-factors-to-plan-for-in-2017-a-year-like-none-other.html "3 Factors to Plan for in 2017, A Year Like None Other") and delayed this year’s event from August to have its robot prototype working, with a plan to start production possibly next year. Tesla teased the unveiling of the bot on [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-snitching-app-turns-citizens-into-social-media-police.html "Saudi snitching app turns citizens into social media police") with an image of metallic robotic hands making a heart shape. But building human-like, versatile hands that can manipulate different objects is [extremely challenging](https://www.financedigest.com/embattled-insurance-industry-faces-extreme-challenge-according-to-extensive-global-report-on-ifrs-17-readiness.html "Embattled Insurance Industry Faces Extreme Challenge According To Extensive Global Report On Ifrs 17 Readiness"), said Heni Ben Amor, a robotics professor at Arizona State University. Initially, Optimus, an allusion to the powerful and benevolent [leader of the Autobots in the Transformers](https://www.financedigest.com/becoming-a-business-leader-how-cios-can-lead-digital-transformation.html "Becoming a business leader – how CIOs can lead digital transformation") media franchise, would perform boring or dangerous jobs, including moving parts around Tesla factories or attaching a bolt to a car with a wrench, according to Musk. “There’s so much about what people can do dexterously that’s very, very hard for robots. And that’s not going to change whether the robot is a robot arm or whether it’s in the shape of a humanoid,” Jonathan Hurst, [chief technology officer](https://www.financedigest.com/iris-software-group-names-matt-tuson-as-chief-revenue-officer.html "IRIS Software Group names Matt Tuson as Chief Revenue Officer") at Agility Robotics, a humanoid robot firm, told Reuters. [Musk has said that in the future robots](https://www.financedigest.com/elon-musk-faces-skeptics-as-tesla-gets-ready-to-unveil-optimus-robot.html "Elon Musk faces skeptics as Tesla gets ready to unveil ‘Optimus’ robot") could be used in homes, making dinners, mowing the lawn and caring for the elderly, and even becoming a “buddy” for humans or a sex partner. He is due at Friday’s event to give updates on [Tesla’s much-delayed plan to launch self-driving](https://www.financedigest.com/elon-musk-focused-on-getting-self-driving-teslas-in-wide-release-by-year-end.html "Elon Musk: focused on getting self-driving Teslas in wide release by year-end") cars, and on its high-speed computer, Dojo, which was unveiled last year and the company has said is integral to its development of self-driving technology. [Musk has said he expects Tesla](https://www.financedigest.com/musk-says-tesla-price-cuts-triggered-demand-2023-sales-could-hit-2-million-vehicles.html "Musk says Tesla price cuts triggered demand, 2023 sales could hit 2 million vehicles") will achieve full self-driving this year and mass produce a robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedal by 2024. At an “Autonomy” event in 2019, Musk promised 1 [million robotaxis by 2020 but has yet to deliver](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-insurance-company-helvetia-uses-squirro-to-deliver-better-search-results-to-its-five-million-customers.html "Swiss insurance company Helvetia uses Squirro to deliver better search results to its five million customers") such a car. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Akash Sriram; Editing by Peter Henderson and Daniel Wallis) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---