Tesla Chair Claims Optimus Can Now Fold Laundry, Touting New Dexterity

Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot can now fold laundry, according to Board Chair Robyn Denholm. The claim, made during a Monday interview with CNBC, suggests a significant leap forward in the robot's fine motor skills, as manipulating soft, deformable objects like clothing is a classic and notoriously difficult challenge in robotics.

During the interview, Denholm was asked about the robot's progress toward human-like dexterity. "Optimus can fold laundry. I’ve been in the lab with Optimus," Denholm stated. "He can wipe the table really well. He can hand things to you. You can actually shake hands with him. The tactile nature of his hand is actually really very good."

Denholm reiterated that the robot is already operating in Tesla's Palo Alto offices.

The Dexterity Challenge

Denholm's comments on the robot's hands are particularly timely, arriving just days after Tesla's Q3 2025 earnings call. On that call, CEO Elon Musk specifically identified the hand and forearm as the "single greatest electromechanical challenge" of the entire project, describing them as "more difficult than the entire rest of the robot".

Musk set a high bar for the robot's manual capabilities, stating a long-term goal for Optimus to perform tasks as delicate as surgery. Denholm's claim that the robot can already handle laundry is a direct, if anecdotal, progress report on that specific, high-priority challenge.

Hardware and Software Convergence

This claimed hardware capability runs parallel to Tesla's aggressive software and manufacturing timelines.

On the software side, the company is pursuing a unified AI model to serve as the "brain" for both its self-driving cars and the Optimus robot. The strategy, championed by AI lead Ashok Elluswamy, is designed to leverage the vast data from Tesla's vehicle fleet to accelerate the robot's ability to navigate real-world environments.

On the manufacturing front, Tesla confirmed it is installing its first Optimus production lines with the ambitious target of eventually building a line capable of 1 million units annually. The company is facing a "non-existent" supply chain for humanoid robot components, forcing it to vertically integrate and manufacture most parts internally.

While Denholm's update is compelling, a public demonstration of the laundry-folding task has not yet been released. If substantiated, the ability to handle such a delicate task would be a major milestone. It would signal that development of the robot's most complex components is keeping pace with its target for a "production-intent" V3 prototype, which Musk slated for a Q1 2026 reveal.