Tesla's recent Cybercab event prominently featured its Optimus robots, creating an impressive spectacle that captured the audience's attention. The robots interacted with guests, served drinks, played games, and even danced, all while displaying the ability to talk. However, beneath the surface, it was largely a staged performance.
Observations from the event suggest that the Optimus robots were not fully autonomous. Instead, reports indicate that behind the scenes, human operators were significantly involved in their actions. Notably, attendee Robert Scoble shared that he learned the robots were “remote assisting,” and further clarified that an engineer explained they used AI mainly for walking. Analyst Adam Jonas from Morgan Stanley also noted that the robots depended on human intervention during the event.
Several clues point to this conclusion. For example, the robots had distinct voices, and their responses were immediate, often paired with appropriate gestures. Scoble tweeted about the event, emphasizing the impressive number of robots present but indicating that they were not acting independently.
One revealing moment occurred when an Optimus robot humorously responded to Scoble's inquiry about its autonomy, suggesting a playful acknowledgment of the human assistance involved. In another instance, a robot’s synthetic voice stumbled over the word "autonomous" while explicitly stating it was supported by a human.
Elon Musk had previously introduced the humanoid robot concept with a clear demonstration of a person in a robot suit, setting a precedent for a more theatrical presentation. The attendees at the Cybercab event didn't seem disappointed by the display, but it became evident that the event did not truly reflect the current state of Tesla's advancements in humanoid robotics.
For those looking to gauge Tesla's progress in this field, the Cybercab reveal may not have provided the clarity they sought. The event showcased the entertainment value of the robots rather than a transparent look at their technological capabilities.
Optimus meant the We, Robot event said little about how far its humanoid robots have come. Tesla made sure its Optimus robots were a big part of its extravagant, in-person Cybercab reveal last week. The robots mingled with the crowd, served drinks to and played games with guests, and danced inside a gazebo. Seemingly most surprisingly, they could even talk. But it was mostly just a show.
It’s obvious when you watch the videos from the event, of course. If Optimus really was a fully autonomous machine that could immediately react to verbal and visual cues while talking, one-on-one, to human beings in a dimly lit crowd, that would be mind-blowing. Playing charades with the Tesla Optimus robot last night. This is either the single greatest robotics and LLM demo the world has ever seen, or it's MOSTLY remote operated by a human. No in between. pic.twitter.com/vCqzk8DDdO
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