Tesla’s Optimus robots allegedly operated by humans, reports say

Tesla’s Optimus Robots: Autonomous Walking, Human-Assisted Interactions: Recent reports have revealed that Tesla’s Optimus robot prototypes, showcased at the “We, Robot” event, relied on human teleoperators for many of their demonstrated capabilities, while utilizing artificial intelligence for walking.

Walking autonomously, but with limitations: The Optimus robots demonstrated the ability to walk without external control, using artificial intelligence.

• Bloomberg reported that the robots “were able to walk without external control using artificial intelligence,” citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
• Social media footage showed lines of Optimus robots slowly walking into the party venue without apparent assistance.
• However, the robots only walked in straight lines and were given a wide berth enforced by Tesla minders, suggesting limited autonomous navigation capabilities.

Human assistance for complex tasks: Many of the more intricate interactions and tasks performed by the Optimus robots were controlled by human teleoperators.

• Activities such as pouring drinks, playing Rock Paper Scissors, and engaging in conversations with attendees were reportedly assisted by human controllers.
• Tesla minders were observed holding signaling devices near the Optimus units during the event.
• Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jones noted in an investor report that the robots “relied on tele-ops (human intervention)” and were not operating entirely autonomously.

Conversational abilities and transparency: The robots’ ability to engage in quick, natural conversations with attendees raised questions about the extent of human involvement.

• The smoothness and intonation of the Optimus conversations, as well as their ability to understand questions in a noisy environment, strongly suggested human assistance.
• When directly questioned about their autonomy, some Optimus units avoided disclosure, while others admitted to being assisted by humans.
• One robot stated, “Today, I’m assisted by a human. I’m not yet fully autonomous,” demonstrating a level of transparency about its current capabilities.

Musk’s presentation and public perception: Elon Musk’s remarks at the event focused on the future potential of Optimus robots rather than their current capabilities.

• Musk avoided discussing the autonomy of the current prototypes, instead emphasizing the “wild experience” of having humanoid robots present at the event.
• His presentation extrapolated from “rapid progress” in Optimus prototypes to a future vision of affordable, fully autonomous robots capable of performing various tasks.
• This juxtaposition may have led some experts and attendees to overestimate the current autonomous capabilities of the Optimus prototypes.

Industry reactions and implications: The revelation of human assistance in controlling the Optimus robots has sparked discussions about the current state of humanoid robot technology and Tesla’s progress in this field.

• Some industry experts, like Deepwater Asset Management’s Gene Munster, admitted to being initially misled by the demonstration, highlighting the need for clearer communication about the robots’ actual capabilities.
• The event has raised questions about the gap between Tesla’s ambitious vision for autonomous humanoid robots and the current state of the technology.
• This incident underscores the importance of transparency in AI and robotics demonstrations, especially when showcasing cutting-edge technologies to the public and investors.

Looking ahead: Challenges and expectations: While the Optimus robots demonstrated some autonomous capabilities, significant hurdles remain in achieving fully autonomous humanoid robots.

• The ability to walk autonomously is a notable achievement, but more complex tasks and interactions still require human assistance.
• Tesla’s focus on developing affordable, multipurpose humanoid robots presents unique challenges in terms of both technology and scalability.
• As the field of robotics continues to advance, managing public expectations and clearly communicating the current state of technology will be crucial for companies like Tesla.