Elon Musk's Robot Draws Mixed Reactions After Dance Performance Goes Viral
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Social media users have had mixed reactions to Elon Musk's latest demonstration of the Tesla Optimus humanoid robot's capabilities.
On Monday, May 12, Musk took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a video of the Optimus 'dancing', which was accompanied by an emoji of a dancing man.
According to the company's website, Tesla has been developing the Optimus to create a, "General purpose, bi-pedal, autonomous humanoid robot capable of performing unsafe, repetitive or boring tasks".
File image: Elon Musk, CEO of electric vehicle-maker Tesla.
File image: Elon Musk, CEO of electric vehicle-maker Tesla.
Photo by Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
Why It Matters
Previous iterations of the Optimus have struggled to walk during live demonstrations.
However, Tesla unveiled a version in 2023 that could walk smoothly and even squat, as well as perform delicate tasks like picking up an egg without breaking it.
In a follow-up post, Musk wrote that the movements were "real" and were recorded "in real time".
What It Means
First introduced conceptually during Tesla's AI Day in 2021, where a person in a robot costume performed instead of a working prototype, Optimus has apparently undergone rapid evolution.
Tesla later showcased a working prototype in 2022 and introduced Optimus Gen 2 in 2023 with improved dexterity and task execution capabilities, including sorting objects and performing yoga poses.
'These are just stunts'
Filip Piękniewski is a researcher who studies computer vision and artificial intelligence.
Piękniewski has previously been highly critical of the Optimus, calling the robots "cringe-worthy" and a "complete and utter scam" in 2022.
In an email to Newsweek on Tuesday, May 13, Piękniewski called the stunts "very impressive," adding, "It's not easy at all to make these things work."
However, Piękniewski pointed out that Tesla, "Never shows these robots doing any actual useful work.
"All of these are just stunts, just like Boston Dynamics which has been serving such stunt videos for well over a decade now," he said.
"Actual work is a lot more complex and well beyond the 'cognitive' capabilities of the computers driving these devices."
Piękniewski said that Tesla is "decades away" from practical implementations of humanoid technology.
"As a certain niche form of art where the product is a 'video showing a robot doing cool things,' we do have a new contestant on the market," he quipped [...]
"As of today the only practical reason to build humanoid robots is for remote operations (to mimic the body of the operator and simplify control). Everything else are sci-fi musings similar to hyperloop, electric supersonic jets, Mars colonies and other such nonsense."
Newsweek reached out to Tesla by email requesting further comment.
Social Media Reacts
X users had plenty to say about the video, with one asking the site's AI chatbot Grok whether the video was real or fake.
"The video's source and setting align with Tesla's robotics work," the chatbot replied.
"However, past teleoperation in demos raises some skepticism about autonomy, though not authenticity."
The word "teleoperation" refers to an important question about the Optimus, which is whether its movements are autonomous, or directed by a human.
One X user had perhaps the most pertinent question: "Is that teleoperated, or running on preloaded actions? Either way, the speed and fluidity are unreal—looks incredibly natural!"
'Cleaning a bathroom'
Redditors on r/teslamotors, however, were less impressed.
"I am sorry to be negative," a critic wrote.
"Hoping humanoid robots make a big difference, but the clips we get are always so short and/or edited."
A user added that they, "Still have not seen a humanoid robot doing something that looks like it could be adding significant value to a business as of yet. Would be glad to see clips otherwise."
A fellow contributor chipped in: "I want to see it cleaning a bathroom, mowing a lawn and doing laundry."
What's Next
Tesla has not yet committed to a mass-market release date, nor has it clarified pricing or regulatory hurdles for workplace integration.
Musk has previously suggested the Optimus would cost "less than a car", although he did not clarify what kind of car.
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