We didn’t study a lot new from Tesla’s Robotaxi occasion final night time, however one piece of knowledge we have been trying ahead to was a bit info on Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robotic. And we acquired some, but it surely’s perhaps rather less flattering to Tesla than some might need preferred.
After unveiling the Robotaxi/Cybercab and Robovan, Tesla CEO Elon Musk went on to present us a bit bit of knowledge on the Optimus humanoid robotic that the corporate has been engaged on.
Musk talked about “we began up with somebody in a robotic swimsuit, after which we’ve progressed dramatically yr after yr” as a number of robots walked out in entrance of the group.
He referred to those as “your individual private R2D2 C3-PO,” and that in the long run, these robots would price lower than a automotive – particularly, ~$20k-$30k. A video additionally described them as an “autonomous assistant, humanoid buddy” which may very well be used for principally any job you may consider.
Musk stated that Optimus can be “the most important product of any form, ever” and figured everybody on Earth would need one or two of them, which is language he has used earlier than (nevermind that many of the 8 billion individuals on Earth wouldn’t have the wealth to afford one new automotive, a lot much less two). He additionally stated that it could lead to an “age of abundance” the place the price of every thing would drop dramatically.
However past all that, Tesla took this occasion as a chance to debut Optimus in entrance of – and amongst – a reside viewers. Musk stated:
One of many issues we wished to indicate tonight was that Optimus isn’t a canned video, it’s not walled-off. The Optimus robots will stroll amongst you. Please be good to the Optimus robots. So that you’ll be capable of stroll proper as much as them… they usually’ll serve drinks on the bar, and also you’ll straight… I imply it’s a wild expertise simply to have humanoid robots they usually’re there, simply in entrance of you.
He then ended his speech by throwing to a gaggle of humanoid robots dancing in a gazebo (not not like a video made by Honda ten years in the past…), and attendees have been certainly capable of work together with these robots in individual.
Tesla’s occasion stream continued by exhibiting movies of the social gathering, together with some movies of friends interacting with robots. The robots waved, handed out goodie luggage, served drinks, posed for images, walked by way of the group, and even performed rock paper scissors (although, once more, not in addition to this robotic with a 100% winrate from 12 years in the past).
The robots did all have a Tesla worker “minder” watching them carefully, however visibly holding some type of signaling gadget of their hand. Within the video, you may see one of many workers working this gadget.
The official Tesla video (which had no audio, as music was taking part in over it) additionally confirmed just a few robots serving drinks, although these weren’t customized blended drinks, merely two decisions of pre-mixed drinks served from beer faucets. The robots appeared to take action efficiently sufficient, although they have been considerably wobbly whereas serving the drinks (see right here), which appeared odd – as if the robots weren’t all that nice at balancing themselves, or their motions weren’t correctly damped or one thing.
However then, attendees began posting movies from the occasion, and one thing appeared… off.
There’s one widely-shared video of an worker seeming to set off Musk’s Robotaxi departure from a cellphone – however that’s comprehensible sufficient, on condition that Waymo’s currently-operating Degree 4 taxis interface with the rider’s cellphone to unlock the automotive and begin a journey as nicely, and it is sensible from a stage administration perspective of preserving the occasion working on cue (albeit 40+ minutes late).
However the stranger movies have been of direct interactions with the Optimus robots that “walked amongst us” within the crowd.
It seems the robots every had a voice and may very well be talked to. So, you possibly can make a drink order, and even simply have a dialog with the robots that have been strolling the group.
What Tesla is doing with Optimus is insane. It’s actually the robotic from iRobot starring Will Smith. #WeRobot pic.twitter.com/zM9pkkyOCu
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) October 11, 2024
In dialog, the robots have been impressively practical of their conversational tone, responding shortly and with pure speech. We’ve seen some fascinating developments on this respect from ChatGPT 4o, with pure intonation, however you may nonetheless inform that there’s one thing robotic happening there.
However maybe they have been too spectacular, as a result of these conversations definitely appear to have a human on the opposite aspect of them.
He didn’t even ask for a tip!@Tesla_Optimus #teslabot #werobot pic.twitter.com/4r0ONZSk11
— Kim Java (@ItsKimJava) October 11, 2024
Every of the robots we’ve seen had a distinct voice, and a distinct accent – although principally California or Texas accents, the 2 places the place Tesla has important presence. One even reportedly spoke Spanish, impressing one attendee, although conversational Spanish can also be not significantly unusual within the areas the place Tesla operates, so the worker backstage may nicely simply be bilingual.
This video, specifically, of a robotic speaking concerning the geography of the Bay Space, is a enjoyable one. Not solely does the robotic make a really human error when it asks whether or not the attendee lives within the “Santa Clarita” space close to San Jose (it’s Santa Clara – Santa Clarita is in Southern California, not the Bay Space), it additionally hears a non-standard pronunciation “Los Gatos” after which responds with a extra widespread one.
One tech evangelist in attendance, Robert Scoble, says that he talked to an engineer on the occasion who advised him that Optimus was working on AI whereas strolling by way of the group, however that in any other case there was human distant help.
I talked with an engineer.
When it walked that’s AI working Optimus.
It’s actual spectacular they introduced so many out in crowds at @tesla’s occasion. https://t.co/CtmCKPrL4T
— Robert Scoble (@Scobleizer) October 11, 2024
Certainly, most observers appear to suppose that these was some degree of distant operation happening through the occasion. Even Adam Jonas, Morgan Stanley’s analyst who covers Tesla and is often very bullish on every thing that Tesla declares, stated in a observe this morning that: “It’s our understanding that these robots weren’t working solely autonomously – however relied on tele-ops (human intervention) so it was extra an indication of levels of freedom and agility.”
The upshot of all of that is that Tesla, as is usually the case, appears to be taking part in quick and unfastened with the reality.
Whereas it might have moderately spectacular dexterity, and remote-operated robots may have some actual makes use of (for instance, placing remote-operated robots into harmful conditions the place human-like limbs and manipulation would however be helpful), Tesla as an alternative determined to obscure the actual details about the know-how they have been showcasing, suggesting that AI-driven robots would stroll among the many crowd when actually they have been counting on some quantity of distant operation.
And that simply leaves a bitter style in everybody’s mouth – or a minimum of, within the mouths of these whose info comes from someplace aside from the closely curated twitter algorithm.
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