On the 30th of last month (local time) at the 'Tesla AI Day' event
Musk: "Robots will create a prosperous future"... Selling under $20,000
On the 30th of last month (local time), the humanoid robot 'Optimus' took the stage at Tesla AI Day held in Palo Alto, California, USA. Photo by AFP Yonhap News.
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] "Robots will create a prosperous future, a future without poverty."
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, expressed this opinion on the 30th of last month (local time) at the 'Tesla AI (Artificial Intelligence) Day' event held at Tesla headquarters in Palo Alto, California, unveiling the prototype of the humanoid robot 'Optimus'.
According to foreign media including the AP News, Musk also revealed plans to produce millions of humanoid robots and sell them for under $20,000 (approximately 28 million KRW).
Optimus, reportedly developed in February, appeared on stage with exposed components such as wires and circuits, waving to the audience. Musk said, "This robot can do more than what was just shown, but I don't want to show it falling on stage," adding, "There is still much work to be done to improve Optimus and verify its capabilities."
Although no more sophisticated movements were demonstrated on stage, Tesla showed a pre-recorded video of Optimus performing tasks such as lifting and moving boxes, walking around an office, and watering plants. In the future, this humanoid robot is expected to be used in industrial sites like factories and in homes, replacing human labor.
Musk said, "Our goal is to make useful humanoid robots as soon as possible," confidently stating, "Currently, humanoid robots lack the intelligence to navigate on their own, are very expensive, and produced in small quantities, whereas Optimus will be a highly capable robot."
Other companies' humanoid robots have reached a level where they can perform highly sophisticated movements such as walking, climbing stairs, doing flips, and playing table tennis. However, their estimated price per unit is as high as $100,000. In contrast, Optimus plans to incorporate Tesla's advanced AI technology to have a 'brain' and intelligence that can listen to human commands, make judgments, and act accordingly, while being sold at a relatively affordable price.
Tesla's humanoid robot plan was announced at last August's AI Day. The industry is surprised that Tesla has showcased a prototype at this level in such a short time, despite the robot still being rough and immature in many aspects.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
