A new update on Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot has drawn widespread attention after a video posted on platform X showed the machine running across a lab floor. The clip, shared first by the official Optimus account with the caption “Just set a new PR in the lab,” highlights a steady jogging motion that marks a major improvement in robot balance and coordination.
Elon Musk shared the video on his account and added the caption “Running robot.” The post quickly reached millions of viewers. Tesla’s AI chief Ashok Elluswamy also joined in, sharing the video along with his three word remark, “Run, Optimus, run.” The running motion is a notable upgrade compared to earlier public demonstrations, which focused mainly on controlled walking, simple object handling, and posture training. Musk had earlier posted a video in October that showed the robot performing martial arts moves beside a trained professional.
The latest update adds to Musk’s wider vision for the project. Last month, he stated that Optimus could significantly change the global economy by reducing the need for human labour. He said the robot may even help eliminate poverty. Speaking at a forum in Washington, he predicted that within ten to twenty years, most traditional jobs could become optional. He said future work would be similar to gardening, something done for enjoyment, while essential tasks needed for survival would be handled by humanoid robots. According to him, AI will create such abundance that money itself may lose meaning.
Optimus is still in development, but Tesla has said mass production is expected to begin soon. Musk has previously estimated that the robot could cost between twenty thousand and thirty thousand dollars once large scale manufacturing is achieved. He also shared Tesla’s goal of using technology inspired by “self replicating” systems, which means robots may eventually build other robots, reducing human involvement in production.
The Optimus project saw a leadership shift in September when Ashish Kumar, who was heading Optimus AI, left Tesla and reportedly moved to another major tech company. While Musk predicts a dramatic transformation, other industry leaders such as Jensen Huang believe that jobs will evolve gradually rather than disappear completely.
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