Elon Musk hosted an event in Hollywood on Thursday night to unveil Tesla’s long-rumored Robotaxi, but it was the company’s waiter Optimus who stole the show.
Standing behind a small bar, the six-foot-tall humanoid donned a cowboy hat, bow tie, and suspenders as he served drinks to wide-eyed attendees.
Optimus grabbed clear blue glasses and turned on the tap to serve cocktails, but with the help of a nearby human operator.
People marveled at the innovation, specifically that Optimus “didn’t ask for a 25 percent tip for an iPad,” while others called him nothing more than a “well-designed puppet.”
Elon Musk hosted an event Thursday night to unveil Tesla’s new Robotaxi, but an Optimus robot waiter stole the show.
The ‘We, Robot’ event, held in Los Angeles, showcased Tesla’s driverless Robotaxi, a futuristic autonomous car without a steering wheel, pedals or rear window.
Musk first discussed the vehicle, which seats two, five years ago, but it could soon become the ride-sharing experience as the company promises the fleet will hit the road in 2027.
However, Optimus’ bartender caused quite a stir when attendees stumbled upon the bar hidden in the corner.
Investor Chris Bakke, who attended the event, said: ‘Optimus simply served a drink and didn’t ask for a 25 per cent tip for an iPad. Simply invest $10 million more in Tesla stock.
But X users watching from afar seemed unimpressed by the beverage dispensing machine.
“If Optimus was being teleoperated, that would be a very schematic way to present it,” one user shared.
‘He made it look like he was serving drinks autonomously. It’s a shame to have a guy controlling it behind the scenes, if that’s what was going on.
Tony Belpaeme commented on X: ‘This is teleoperated. Optimus is a well-designed puppet, controlled by a human operator.’
Teleoperated robots are controlled by signals and commands sent by a nearby human over a wireless network.
Musk let some of the robots run wild outside the event to talk to human guests and show off their dance moves.
A video shows a man named Tony asking Optimus how he was doing, to which he responded, “I’m fine,” and then said it was nice meeting him.
“Can you play basketball, like shoot jump shots?” Tony asked.
Optimus was behind a small bar, wearing a cowboy hat, bow tie, and suspenders attached to an apron.
The crowd seemed amazed by the robot, which
“Hmmm, maybe someday,” the robot responded.
Tony then told Optimus that he would teach him how to play.
‘Actually? Thanks, Toni. I appreciate it very much,’ he responded.
Another robot was seen playing a serious game of rock-paper-scissors, taking his chance to defeat a human opponent.
Musk brought an Optimus robot arm on stage during the event, estimating the robots would cost between $28,000 and $30,000.
“Anything you can think of will do,” he said.
“He can walk your dog, mow your lawn, do your shopping, just be your friend.”
Guests at the event were surprised by the robot bartender’s ability to serve and pour drinks.
The robot, intended for industrial and home uses, debuted at AI Day on September 30 after being first announced at AI Day in August 2021.
‘Tesla Bots are initially positioned to replace people in repetitive, boring and dangerous tasks.
But the vision is for them to serve millions of households, like cooking, mowing lawns, and caring for the elderly,” Musk wrote in an essay published in China. cyberspace magazine.
But many social media users are now making comparisons to the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot set in 2035, after seeing the clip of Musk’s droids.
Set in Chicago, the action film shows highly intelligent robots occupying public service positions around the world, operating under three laws to keep humans safe.
Several viewers concerned about Musk’s video left comments comparing the Optimus droids to the movie.
‘Am I the only one who remembers iRobot?’ wrote an X user, formerly Twitter.
“iRobot just became a reality,” warned another.
A third added: ‘Someone call Detective Spooner! I’m getting nervous, the robot has chills.
‘No, thanks. I saw ‘I, Robot,’ said one more.
A fifth chimed in: ‘We already saw this movie. Wasn’t it ‘I, Robot’ with Will Smith? It doesn’t end well.
Musk explained in 2022 that the android, called the Tesla robot at the time, was deliberately designed that way.
‘The Tesla Bot has a height and weight close to that of an adult, can carry or pick up heavy objects, walk quickly in small steps, and the screen on its forehead is an interactive interface for communicating with people.
‘You may be wondering why we designed this robot with legs. Because human society is based on the interaction of a bipedal humanoid with two arms and ten fingers.
“So if we want a robot to adapt to its environment and be able to do what humans do, it has to be about the same size, shape and capabilities as a human,” Musk explained.
