Tesla held its special AI day yesterday and showcased all kinds of incredible new technologies in its autonomous vehicles. Then at the end of their conference, something strange happened. First, a video rolled on the screen showcasing what looked like a new robot design. Then as the lights came up, a robot came walking across the stage. Tesla quickly showed the live robot to be nothing more than a joke, but Elon Musk then gave a ten-minute presentation about their newest project Tesla Bot. The new robot, codenamed Project Optimus, is driven by AI technology and will theoretically do repetitive, boring, or dangerous tasks for humanity.
The Tesla Bot
Elon Musk and the team at Tesla described the Tesla Bot as serving the exact role we have always depicted as intelligent robots. Science fiction has long showcased robots in this fashion. Tesla envisions a future where your robot picks up your groceries for you and handles all your boring tasks. Thanks to Tesla’s already strong manufacturing systems, the company expects to scale the Tesla Bot to the point that the technology could be readily available to all people and not just the super-rich.
We know what you’re thinking, and so did Elon Musk. He stated early that these humanoid robots are being designed to be weaker than the average human. They only have a carrying capacity of 45 lbs and a top speed of 5 mph. Musk said in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, “You should be able to overpower one.” Well, at least he thought that through.
Conclusion
Since Tesla opened up, it’s Tesla Bot showcase with a joke. Many are still debating whether the whole idea was just a prank or not. Either way, Musk claimed a full prototype should be ready next year. After that, we’ll have to wait and see if these robots come to fruition. If they do, there are likely going to be some wild implications. Watch this special bonus episode of Things I Learned Last Night to learn more about the Tesla Bot and hear Jaron and Tim’s opinions on the new device.
Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode right now!
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