Optimus

Forbes Senior Editor Alan Ohnsman labeled the humanoid robot a "publicity stunt," arguing Tesla "has not been a robotics company." The sharp critique contrasts with Tesla''s recent announcements of a $20,000 cost target and plans for a 1-million-unit factory.

A video at Tesla''s 2025 shareholder meeting offered a glimpse of Optimus assembly, but the project''s AI lead clarified it''s a prototype line, not the mass-production system slated for next year. CEO Elon Musk also shared a new $20,000 per-unit cost target.

Musk specifies locations for his ambitious humanoid robot production, starting with a 1-million-unit line in Fremont and a 10-million-unit line at a Gigafactory, while reiterating claims of a "billion a year" capacity.

In a CNBC interview, Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm claimed the Optimus robot has achieved a key dexterity milestone: folding laundry. This comes as Tesla aims for a Q1 2026 "production-intent" V3 prototype.

In a new technical deep-dive, Tesla's VP of AI and Optimus lead Ashok Elluswamy details the end-to-end neural network strategy for FSD, confirming the same "neural world simulator" and architecture will "seamlessly transfer" to its humanoid robot.