Musk announced that Tesla plans to utilize humanoid robots in the upcoming year

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has announced that Tesla will commence production and deployment of humanoid robots starting from next year. Musk revealed in a social media post that initially, these robots will be utilized within Tesla, with plans to begin manufacturing them for sale by 2026.

Previously, Musk had anticipated that the robot, named Optimus, would be operational in Tesla factories by the end of this year. Concurrently, other companies such as Honda and Boston Dynamics have also been progressing in the development of their own humanoid robots.

In his statement on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Musk stated, “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026.”

This announcement coincided with Tesla’s imminent release of its latest financial results, which led to a more than 5% increase in Tesla’s shares following Monday’s trading session on Wall Street. Musk has set a target for these robots to be mass-produced at a cost of less than $20,000 (£17,900) each.

Known for his ambitious goals, Musk has sometimes faced challenges in meeting his company’s timelines. In 2019, he expressed confidence that Tesla would have self-driving taxis operational by the following year. Earlier this year, Musk announced plans to unveil the long-awaited robotaxi on August 8, but recent reports suggest the event may be postponed to October due to adjustments being made.

Musk’s enterprises have been increasingly focused on advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and robotics, even amidst a period of declining demand for electric vehicles.