Optimus now knows how to dance. Tesla has released a new video of its humanoid robot performing ballet movements, without visible assistance. These sequences were learned entirely in simulation, thanks to the brand's reinforcement learning techniques. Milan Kovac, head of the Optimus program, claims that the robot received "no additional training" between simulation and reality. The improvements in posture, gait, and arm swing are undeniable.
Now let's dance
But this technological showcase still masks a more nuanced reality. In previous demonstrations, such as the one at the "We, Robot" event, Tesla did not specify that some of Optimus' actions required human assistance behind the scenes. This omission has generated a fair amount of skepticism among part of the robotics community. Despite its more fluid silhouette, Optimus remains dependent on invisible guidance to perform truly useful tasks. In short, it still shares the same Achilles heel with Tesla's self-driving cars: human assistance.
https://x.com/Tesla_Optimus/status/1922456791549427867
Elon Musk is not lacking in ambition. He sees Optimus as a multi-trillion dollar market and announces that millions of robots will eventually be produced each year. He even mentions commercialization as early as 2026 at a price between $25,000 and $30,000. For now, Tesla is deploying a few units in its factories, notably on the production lines of the future Cybercab at the Gigafactory in Texas.
But while Tesla refines its prototypes, the competition multiplies its announcements and demonstrations. Figure AI (supported by Microsoft and OpenAI), Boston Dynamics, Apptronik, Agility Robotics, Xpeng, and UBTECH in China are presenting robots capable of performing complex movements, sometimes more advanced than those of Optimus. Several models already know how to jump, do somersaults, or practice martial arts. Some, like Figure 01 or X1, claim partial autonomy without human assistance.
The crux of the matter no longer lies solely in mechanical capabilities: the real race is now being played out in the integration of robust and generalized artificial intelligence. Tesla claims to be making progress on this front, but has not yet provided tangible proof of a decisive lead.
Tesla impresses with well-calibrated videos and effective storytelling. But in a rapidly evolving sector, where announcements are jostling for position and funding is pouring in, the lead is measured less by successful choreography than by actual autonomy on the ground. Optimus is clearly making progress, but for now, he's not leading the dance.
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