Elon Musk Faces Copycat Accusation Over Latest Tesla Venture
Elon Muskâs new line of Tesla robots and vehicles has critics calling the billionaire a copycat.
The Tesla CEO is being accused of ripping off the designs and aesthetic of I, Robot, a 2004 sci-fi classic, for the companyâs droid, called Optimus, and its two fully self-driving cars, the robovan and cybercab.
I, Robot director Alex Proyas called out Musk for allegedly copying him following Teslaâs âWe, Robotâ unveiling event for the new products on Oct. 10.
âHey Elon, Can I have my designs back please?â he posted to X along with side-by-sides of Muskâs machines and stills from the film.
Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back please? #ElonMusk #Elon_Musk pic.twitter.com/WPgxHevr6E
â Alex Proyas (@alex_proyas) October 13, 2024
Teslaâs cybercabs are slated to go into production in 2027, and will reportedly cost up to $30,000, while the companyâs Optimus robot will hit the market sooner than its vehicular counterparts. The bot is set to go on sale by the end of the year and will cost between $20,000 to $30,000.
Optimus, which was first announced in 2022, is said to be a humanoid companion that assists people with a number of tasks.
âIt can be a teacher, babysit your kids, it can walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries, just be your friend, serve drinks,â Musk said at the âWe, Robotâ event. âWhatever you can think of, it will do.â
The droids mingled with guests, served drinks, and even spoke at the event. But, these features were largely for show.
According to attendee Robert Scoble, humans were âremote assistingâ the robots. One droid, or the individual âassistingâ it, even told a partygoer âToday, I am assisted by a human,â continuing that it was not fully autonomous. The machines, however, used AI to walk.
Optimus make me a drink, please.
This is not wholly AI. A human is remote assisting.
Which means AI day next year where we will see how fast Optimus is learning. pic.twitter.com/CE2bEA2uQDâ Robert Scoble (@Scobleizer) October 11, 2024
Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.
Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.