Tesla’s decision to phase out production of its Model S and Model X vehicles in favour of manufacturing up to one million Optimus humanoid robots annually at its Fremont factory has sparked intense debate, but industry observers say the real surprise lies not in the shift itself, but in how closely the robots may resemble humans.
Read More: Tesla to invest $20 billion in Cybercab, Optimus robots
During a recent earnings call, Tesla robotics engineer Ashok Elluswamy described the Optimus robot as being strikingly lifelike. “It’s an awesome robot that minimises any differences,” he said. “It looks like a human. People could easily be confused that it’s a human.” The comment has renewed discussion about the future of humanoid robotics and how far companies are willing — or able — to push human-like design.
.@Jason saw version 3 of Tesla’s Optimus robot:
“Two Sunday’s ago I went to @Tesla with Elon. I saw Optimus 3. I can tell you now, nobody will remember that Tesla ever made a car. They will only remember Optimus and that he is going to make a billion of those. It’s going to be… pic.twitter.com/b7vZR3ruRy
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 15, 2026
Elon Musk: “Tesla’s Optimus robot will be better than any human surgeon in 3 years.”
Do you remember a famous investor saying in 2018 that radiology would be obsolete in 5 years? Put this quote into the same category.
Elon Musk could have said it very differently: The Optimus… pic.twitter.com/um9KEa78jl
— Berci Meskó, MD, PhD (@Berci) January 12, 2026
Tesla’s latest Optimus 3 robot is built on the same Full Self-Driving (FSD) artificial intelligence architecture that powers the company’s Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The robot reportedly demonstrates advanced movement, object handling and situational awareness, capabilities that increasingly blur the distinction between machine autonomy and human behaviour.
Elon Musk has repeatedly framed Optimus as central to Tesla’s long-term strategy, envisioning a future where humanoid robots address major societal challenges. One area he has highlighted is elder care, arguing that robots could help support ageing populations by assisting with daily tasks and providing companionship, potentially transforming healthcare and home support systems.
Despite these ambitions, the current Optimus design still features a smooth, largely expressionless face, falling short of the realistic human appearance Musk has hinted at. However, rapid advances in robotics, artificial intelligence and materials science suggest that more human-like features and interactions may not be far off.
Read More: Tesla’s robot waves but can’t walk, yet. Musk plans to make millions
While the prospect of humanoid robots offering care and assistance is widely seen as promising, it also raises ethical, psychological and social questions. As robots become more human in appearance and behaviour, societies may be forced to reconsider boundaries between people and machines — and how comfortable humans are with technology that mirrors them so closely.