Tesla CEO Elon Musk has predicted that his Optimus robot will soon be his company’s most important product.
Musk said on a call with Tesla investors that the Austin-based company is “really prioritizing releasing Optimus, but also ramping up our internal production for testing, but then maybe Optimus will be useful somewhere outside of Tesla next year.”
“As you’ve heard me say many times, I think Optimus will be our biggest product, not just Tesla’s biggest product, but probably our biggest product ever,” Musk said on the call. “And I’m confident in that conclusion.”
What is the Optimus Program?
Optimus is Tesla’s humanoid robot in development – a bipedal, autonomous machine designed to perform tasks ranging from factory labor to daily household duties.
Musk has repeatedly described Optimus as one of Tesla’s most important long-term bets, calling it a cornerstone of the company’s vision for a future built around autonomy, robotics and “physical AI.”
The change also reflects Musk’s belief that driverless vehicles and humanoid robots will ultimately define Tesla more than cars. In its shareholder message, Tesla has already framed itself as moving beyond automaking toward AI-powered mobility and robotics products.
Where will Tesla build the Optimus robot?
Musk announced in January that his company plans to convert space at its Fremont, California, factory, which is currently used to build Model S and X vehicles, into an Optimus robot factory.
“I think it’s time to end the Model S and “Because we’re really moving toward a future that’s based on autonomy.”
Musk told investors on an April earnings call that Tesla is playing it close to the vest when it comes to unveiling details about its latest Optimus robot.
He said, “We have found that when we have unveiled previous Optimus versions, our competitors literally do a frame-by-frame analysis and copy everything we are doing.” “I think we want to move the unveiling of the Optimus 3 probably closer to production. Summer production, we’re assuming, is around the late July or early August time frame.”
Musk said Tesla is making an ambitious effort to restart its Fremont factory as it transitions from making cars to making robots.
“Just to put some reality into these questions… the last S/X production will be in early May,” Musk said. “You start tearing down a line with smaller parts first, not final assembly first… So clearly, if we’re able to stop production on one line, tear down that entire line, reinstall a new line, and then get it up and running in four months, that’s an extremely fast pace.”
Musk said: “I don’t think any other company on Earth has ever done this before, just to put it into perspective and bring some reality to the situation here.”
Contributing: James Ward, California Trending News Editor for USA TODAY Network