Optimus Next Gen: A Glimpse at Tesla's New Gold Robot and Musk's Future Vision

A Glimpse of Gold Optimus: Tesla's Next-Gen Robot

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff recently shared a video on X after meeting with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, purportedly showcasing a next-generation prototype of Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus. Sporting a gold finish, the Optimus appears to be equipped with Grok, Tesla's AI assistant features. However, the robot is still in its early stages of development. Notable changes in this prototype include the new gold color scheme and a more detailed hand design. Currently, the hands appear closer to mannequin hands and don't seem to be functional yet. Optimus's hand design is an important aspect of the project, as the robot will need to complete both delicate and heavy-duty tasks. Tesla aims for Optimus to be able to perform actions such as threading a needle or playing the piano. Musk mentioned that the hand design for the next generation Optimus will mimic human hands, with fingers controlled by cables, similar to a human arm structure.

Musk's Ambitious Projections for Optimus

The successful development and deployment of Optimus could create a massive market opportunity for Tesla. If Tesla can efficiently roll out Optimus in the coming years, it will offer businesses a solution for handling tedious labor, significantly boosting Tesla's market valuation. Musk recently stated that Optimus will be the primary contributor to Tesla's future valuation, accounting for an estimated 80% of the company's total value. However, X users have raised concerns about the disparity between the common perception of Tesla's robot dominance and the reality of Optimus's capabilities. Videos show Optimus being sluggish, taking ten seconds to answer a simple question, and only starting to move when the other person is at least a meter away. While the hand design looks detailed, there is no demonstration of movement, raising questions about whether it is a true third-generation hand or just a shell to avoid imitation.

The Competition: Figure Gen 2

American humanoid robotics startup Figure has presented the second generation of its robot, Figure Gen 2, which appears more practical than Optimus. It can complete various tasks, including packing items and scanning QR codes, putting clothes in the washing machine, folding fabric, and putting dishes in the dishwasher. These demos display real-world applications in living environments, which are more practical and advanced than Optimus's current performance.

Tesla's Shifting Focus Toward Robotics

Tesla is shifting its focus toward the robotics field, with the Optimus project holding significant potential. Musk encourages investors to focus on the future of self-driving cars and robotics technology rather than just focusing on the current car business. The contribution of the car business to Tesla's total revenue is decreasing. In the second quarter, the car business accounted for about 74% of total sales, but profits decreased due to lower car sales. In addition, Tesla will lose many electric vehicle incentives due to the new U.S. budget law, which may further affect the profitability of the car business. To combat these challenges, Tesla is accelerating the development and production of Optimus robots. Musk stated in a July earnings call that Tesla plans to expand Optimus's annual production to 1 million units in the next five years. The Optimus 3 prototype is expected to launch by the end of this year. This robot is designed to perform tasks such as factory jobs and housework. Currently, the robot is undergoing the second generation, and the third-generation model is also under intense development. The aforementioned gold Optimus may be the prototype for the third generation. Musk believes that as robotics technology continues to advance and use cases expand, Optimus will become the primary source of Tesla's revenue.