# Tesla’s Optimus Humanoid Robot: AI Marvel or Human-Assisted Prototype?
Tesla’s “We, Robot” event, conducted on October 10, 2024, unveiled the company’s bold venture into the realm of humanoid robots. The showcase, which highlighted Tesla’s Optimus prototypes, left many attendees and viewers captivated, while also prompting inquiries about the actual level of the robots’ independence. Although Tesla CEO Elon Musk illustrated an advanced vision of entirely autonomous robots capable of managing a diverse array of tasks, subsequent reports indicated that the current prototypes still depend significantly on human support.
## AI-Controlled Walking, But What About Other Tasks?
A remarkable feature of the Optimus prototypes was their capacity to walk autonomously. Reports indicate that these robots utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to control their walking, enabling them to navigate in a straight line without human input. This was corroborated by various sources, including tech blogger Robert Scoble, who conversed with a Tesla engineer at the event. Scoble observed that “when it walked, that is AI running Optimus.”
However, despite the AI-driven walking capabilities, the execution of other activities appeared to be less autonomous. For example, when Optimus units were observed serving drinks, engaging in games like Rock Paper Scissors, or conversing with attendees, human teleoperators were reportedly aiding from behind the scenes. This revelation has incited skepticism over the genuine level of autonomy currently exhibited by Tesla’s robots.
## Human Teleoperation: The Hidden Hand Behind the Curtain
Bloomberg mentioned that Tesla employed human operators to remotely manage certain functionalities of the robots during the event. Although the report did not clarify which functions necessitated human involvement, it underscored that the robots’ walking was under AI control. This distinction implies that more intricate tasks—like interacting with people or manipulating objects—might still exceed the current capabilities of Tesla’s AI systems.
Social media recordings from the event lend support to this assertion. In one clip, a lineup of Optimus robots is depicted walking in a straight line into the gathering, with Tesla personnel closely monitoring their actions. Several observers noted that the staff seemed to be equipped with signaling devices, possibly intended for communication with the robots or their human operators.
Electrek, a publication dedicated to electric vehicles and sustainable technology, additionally reported that live footage from the event illustrated Tesla staff hovering near the robots, reinforcing the idea that human intervention played a role. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jones echoed this perspective in an investor note, asserting that the robots “were not functioning entirely autonomously” and relied on tele-operations for specific tasks.
## Conversations with Optimus: AI or Human?
Among the most fascinating elements of the event was the robots’ ability to participate in conversations with attendees. While AI models have evolved significantly in natural language processing and vocal interaction, the fluidity and quickness of the Optimus robots’ dialogues raised suspicions. In a loud, crowded setting, the robots appeared to effortlessly grasp and answer inquiries, leading many to contemplate the involvement of human operators.
When Robert Scoble directly inquired of one of the Optimus robots regarding its autonomy, the response was ambiguous. “I can’t reveal just how much [is controlled by AI],” the robot stated, leaving the matter of its independence unresolved. However, in another clip, a drink-serving Optimus unit was more candid, admitting, “Today, I’m assisted by a human. I’m not yet fully autonomous.”
These exchanges imply that while Tesla’s AI systems may be equipped to manage certain tasks, such as walking, more intricate interactions—like comprehension and response to human speech—still necessitate human assistance.
## Misdirection or Marketing?
Elon Musk’s presentation at the “We, Robot” event emphasized the long-term possibilities of Tesla’s humanoid robots, rather than the present limitations of the prototypes. Musk portrayed a future where affordable, fully autonomous Optimus robots could undertake “anything you want,” from household chores to industrial jobs. However, he was notably reticent about the existing level of autonomy within the displayed prototypes.
Instead, Musk put a spotlight on the novelty of having humanoid robots moving among the guests, labeling it a “wild experience.” This focus on the spectacle of the event may have led to some misapprehension regarding the robots’ actual abilities. Even experts were initially taken in by the demonstration, with Deepwater Asset Management Managing Partner Gene Munster acknowledging on social media that he had been “fooled” into thinking the robots were more autonomous than they truly were.
## The Road Ahead for Tesla’s Optimus
While the “We, Robot” event highlighted some impressive progress in AI and robotics, it also emphasized the obstacles Tesla still confronts in attaining full autonomy for its humanoid robots. The necessity for human teleoperators for many of the robots’ tasks suggests that Tesla’s AI systems are not yet capable of managing the complete spectrum of interactions and actions that Musk envisions for the future.
That said,
