Tesla CEO Elon Musk has ramped up his ambitious vision for the company’s humanoid robot program, declaring the upcoming Optimus version 3 an “exquisite design” that “will be the biggest product ever,” masters household chores through human video learning. Bold statement underscores Tesla’s significant pivot toward AI and robotics alongside its established electric vehicle business.
According to Elon, a prototype of Optimus version 3 should be ready by the end of this year, with volume production slated to begin in 2026. Timeline reflects Tesla’s aggressive approach to developing what could become a transformative product category.
Tesla chief isn’t holding back on production expectations either. “If we’re not making roughly 100,000 Optimus robots a month in 5 years, I’d be shocked,” Elon stated. Target represents an unprecedented manufacturing challenge, even for a company that has successfully scaled electric vehicle production.
Such production volumes would position Optimus as a potentially revolutionary product in the robotics industry, which has traditionally focused on specialized applications rather than general-purpose humanoid robots at consumer scale.
Despite his enthusiasm, Elon expressed reservations about his current voting control at Tesla as the company shifts further into AI and robotics. With only 13% voting control, he voiced concerns about his ability to guide the company’s direction in these sensitive technological domains.
“That is a major concern for me and I hope that’s addressed at the upcoming shareholder meeting in November,” Elon noted. “I don’t want to have so little control that I can easily be ousted by activist shareholders after having built an army of robots.”
He added that his control “should be enough to ensure that Tesla goes in a good direction but not so much that I can’t be thrown out if I go crazy.”
Elon also revealed Tesla’s cautious approach to sharing details about Optimus version 3 and its AI developments. “When we do an AI day, we find that some of our competitors have done a frame by frame examination of our slides and everything we do, and then copy us,” he explained.
While acknowledging that such events help with recruiting technical talent, Elon suggested the upcoming shareholder meeting would provide some insights into Optimus and AI developments without giving away too much to competitors.
As Tesla continues its transformation beyond vehicles, the Optimus program represents perhaps its most ambitious bet yet. If successful, these robots could indeed become the company’s biggest product ever—just as Elon optimistically predicts.
Related Post
Tesla AI VP Milan Kovac Resigns After 9 Years Leading FSD and Optimus Projects
Tesla Optimus Robot Masters Complex Tasks Through Revolutionary Video Learning
Tesla Optimus Robot Shows Off Dance Moves in New Elon Musk Video