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On Thursday night, Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots stole the show at Elon Musk's wild party in Hollywood, dancing on stage, serving watermelon-flavored cocktails and charming guests with fun and friendly chat.
After Musk's introduction, the robots emerged from the opened curtains and entered the audience in a row. Tall, faceless figures with joint-like bends in their knees, hips, arms and elbows – “they can basically do whatever you want them to do,” Musk said.
The robot bartender – wearing a cowboy hat – spoke in a shockingly human rhythm.
“How is everyone?” he shouted from time to time with a hint of a Texas accent. “How am I doing so far?”
When a customer asked for a watermelon-flavored drink, Optimus double-checked his order: “Watermelon? Of course you can!”
Optimus can help with everyday tasks like grocery shopping or mowing the lawn, he said, but he can also be part of the family: he can be a teacher, babysit kids, walk the dog, serve after-dinner drinks – but he can also just be his own friend, he said Musk.
“I think this will be the biggest product ever,” Musk said.
The “autonomous assistant, humanoid friend” will cost less than a car – $20,000 to $30,000 in the long run, he said.
Bots are “something anyone can own,” Musk said.
He previously said that Tesla could sell humanoid robots outdoors by the end of next year.
On Thursday evening, a handful of robots were locked in a gazebo, where they danced around a disco ball and a fog machine to the beat of techno music.
Musk apparently had other robots on the clock handing out gift bags to guests. The video shows Optimus the robot in a cowboy hat taking orders and then pouring drinks from a tap into cups full of ice.
When an event participant told Optimus that he was doing a good job, the robot looked up in appreciation.
“Do you want to take a photo?” – Optimus asked. Then he made a peace sign with his hand.
Another bot chatted with a human during the event and asked about his hometown.
“I'm from San Jose, probably where you were born in Silicon Valley,” an event attendee joked.
“That's great! Where do you live in San Jose? Almaden Valley? – Optimus replied.
When the man said he lived in Los Gatos, Optimus said, “Los Gatos, oh wonderful! Nice area. I heard there are beautiful hikes there.
And the robot didn't hesitate to answer where he lived.
“Um, I currently live in Palo Alto. That's where they train us, that's where we build our structures and that's where we work with a great group of people,” Optimus said.
Another robot played rock, paper and scissors with the guy. He won the match and then started dancing in the crowd.
Despite his ability to chat, dance, and serve cocktails, Optimus knows he is not a real person.
“What's the hardest thing about being a robot?” asked the guest.
“Uh… I'm trying to learn to be as human as you,” Optimus said. “And that's something I try to do harder every day, and I hope you can help us become like that.”
Musk's latest Optimus models stem from more hypothetical conversations about the project just a few years ago.
During a 2021 Tesla event, Musk introduced his “Tesla bot” – a human in a robot suit who took to the stage to dance.
The following year, Musk showed off several real robot prototypes. One of these robots was able to carefully walk across the stage while another was held on a stand and waved to the audience.
However, Thursday night's promotional video showed Optimus living with his family and helping out around the household.
The video shows the robot watering the plants, collecting parcels from the front door, cleaning the kitchen after dinner, unloading shopping from the trunk of the car and relaxing while playing a board game with the children.
Musk has previously boasted that robots will be a “fundamental transformation of civilization.”
They will be mass-produced and ensure “a future where there is no poverty,” he said.
