Tesla has recently made statements as to phone, ordering, or sending out its long-awaited Optimus humanoid robot starting in 2026. This announcement represents a huge step in the company’s deep foray into robotics, which has received a staggering amount of money and hype. Though still in a prototyping stage, the Optimus robot has already started carrying out tasks independently at Tesla’s factories. It’s already proving its once-in-a-generation capabilities in the wild.
The journey of the upcoming humanoid Optimus robot has already started! Most famously, reports indicate it’s currently on the move moving plastic totes at a Spanx factory in Georgia. A video showing the robot in action in this environment premiered earlier this month, showcasing its utility in operation. The robot’s inaugural mission might not be its most glamorous, but it’s certainly the most vital. It’s a demonstration of the promise that humanoid robots hold for applications in the real world.
Tesla’s new focus on creating the Optimus robot is a microcosm of this larger current in today’s robotics industry. The company aims to showcase its robots operating at 1X speed, emphasizing their functionality and efficiency in performing everyday tasks. In fact, CEO Elon Musk has made many ambitious claims concerning the future of general-purpose humanoid robots. He predicts that the market will exceed over 20 billion units.
“Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026,” – Elon Musk
Tesla has lofty expectations when it comes to humanoid robotics. We should be cautious because it’s important to understand that they large aren’t the trailblazers in this arena. Boston Dynamics has been a leader in robotics for decades. It’s known for being both a pioneering original leader in and a cutting-edge innovator of the field. In June, Boston Dynamics unveiled a landmark achievement. Its humanoid robot, Chewie, is beyond that initial pilot stage, marking a huge step forward in its process development.
Boston Dynamics has a storied past when it comes to humanoid robots. This all began with the first hydraulic Atlas model, released in 2013. The firm phased out this model in April. It didn’t stop there, the following day it launched an electric version proving further its dedication to pioneering robotic technology.
Furthermore, Figure, another player in the humanoid robotics sector, announced plans to pilot its 01 robot at a BMW factory in South Carolina. These recent moves illustrate the growing excitement for humanoid robots. Whether in electric vehicles or semiconductors, companies are battling each other tooth and nail for market share and technological supremacy.
Sanctuary AI has furthered this progress by launching pilot programs with automotive manufacturer Magna earlier this year. These joint initiatives are, perhaps surprisingly, emblematic of a larger trend in the industry toward the adoption of humanoid robots into manufacturing processes and other industries.
Tesla’s capital and resource deployment to the Optimus project is indicative of its larger strategy to utilize artificial intelligence and robotics in a real-world, meaningful way. Chris Walti, who led the internal hiring effort for Tesla’s humanoid team, Farben explains, shared insights into the project’s inception.
“And then Elon [Musk] was like, ‘We should build a humanoid. My team was tapped to lead that. I led the internal hiring effort for that team. Everything you saw on AI Day was a product of those efforts.” – Chris Walti
Tesla is currently preparing for the launch of the Optimus robot in 2026. The competition among robotics companies is fiercer than ever. These major advancements are quickly changing the landscape in the industry. Long-time incumbents like Boston Dynamics, as well as startups like Figure and Sanctuary AI have added fuel to the fire, increasing the race to create functional humanoid robots.