Tesla Sues Former Optimus Engineer, Alleges Theft of Robotic Hand Secrets Amidst Program Shakeup

Tesla Sues Former Optimus Engineer, Alleges Theft of Robotic Hand Secrets

Tesla Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Zhongjie “Jay” Li, a former engineer in its Optimus humanoid robot program, and his startup Proception Inc., accusing them of stealing confidential trade secrets related to the robot's advanced hand technology. The suit was lodged in a San Francisco Federal Court on June 11, 2025.

The Allegations

According to the court filing, Li was employed by Tesla from August 2022 to September 2024, where he worked on “advanced robotic hand sensors” and had access to sensitive technical data concerning the Optimus program. Tesla alleges that in the weeks preceding his departure, Li downloaded Optimus-related files onto personal devices.

The complaint further states that Proception Inc. was incorporated less than a week after Li left Tesla. Within approximately five months, Proception publicly announced it had “successfully built” advanced humanoid robotic hands. Tesla contends these hands “bear a striking resemblance to the designs Li worked on at Tesla.”

As of this report, neither Li, who is listed as founder and CEO of Proception on LinkedIn, nor the Palo Alto-based company have publicly responded to the allegations or requests for comment.

High Stakes for Optimus

The Optimus program represents a significant long-term venture for Tesla, with CEO Elon Musk stating his belief that the humanoid robot will eventually constitute the majority of the company's value. Musk has previously highlighted the sophistication of Optimus's hands, a critical component for achieving the dexterity required for tasks ranging from factory work to everyday assistance.

Tesla's lawsuit underscores the company's intent to protect its intellectual property in the highly competitive field of humanoid robotics. The complaint references an August 2024 email to the Optimus team reminding employees that Tesla's IT assets are monitored and that any suspected theft of company property, including data, would be thoroughly investigated. Tesla’s lawyers described Li’s alleged actions as a “calculated effort to exploit Tesla’s investments, insights, and intellectual property for their own commercial gain.”

Context of Leadership Changes

This legal action surfaces during a period of notable personnel shifts within Tesla's Optimus division. As we reported recently, Milan Kovac, the VP overseeing the Optimus program, departed the company last week. Following Kovac's exit, Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's VP of AI software for Autopilot, is understood to have taken leadership of the Optimus project. Elluswamy now faces the challenge of realizing Musk's ambitious target of deploying “thousands” of Optimus units in Tesla factories this year.

The development of dexterous robotic hands is a notoriously difficult challenge in robotics, and the outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for both Proception and the broader competitive landscape. It also sheds light on the internal pressures and valuable intellectual property at stake within Tesla's ambitious robotics endeavors.