https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/13/24269131/tesla-optimus-robots-human-controlled-cybercab-we-robot-event Skip to main content The Verge logo.The Verge homepage * The Verge homepageThe Verge logo./ * Tech/ * Reviews/ * Science/ * Entertainment/ * AI/ * MoreMenu The Verge logo. Menu * Tesla/ * Electric Cars/ * Cars The Optimus robots at Tesla's Cybercab event were humans in disguise The Optimus robots at Tesla's Cybercab event were humans in disguise / Behind-the-scenes human 'assisting' Optimus meant the We, Robot event said little about how far its humanoid robots have come. By Wes Davis, a weekend editor who covers the latest in tech and entertainment. He has written news, reviews, and more as a tech journalist since 2020. Oct 13, 2024, 5:55 PM UTC Share this story * * * If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. A picture of an Optimus robot, wearing a cowboy hat and standing in front of a crowd of people, behind a table. An Optimus robot at the We, Robot event. Screenshot: Tesla We, Robot livestream Tesla made sure its Optimus robots were a big part of its extravagant, in-person Cybercab reveal last week. The robots mingled with the crowd, served drinks to and played games with guests, and danced inside a gazebo. Seemingly most surprisingly, they could even talk. But it was mostly just a show. It's obvious when you watch the videos from the event, of course. If Optimus really was a fully autonomous machine that could immediately react to verbal and visual cues while talking, one-on-one, to human beings in a dimly lit crowd, that would be mind-blowing. Attendee Robert Scoble posted that he'd learned humans were "remote assisting" the robots, later clarifying that an engineer had told him the robots used AI to walk, spotted Electrek. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote that the robots "relied on tele-ops (human intervention)" in a note, the outlet reports. There are obvious tells to back those claims up, like the fact that the robots all have different voices or that their responses were immediate, with gesticulation to match. It doesn't feel like Tesla was going out of its way to make anyone think the Optimus machines were acting on their own. In another video that Jalopnik pointed to, an Optimus' voice jokingly told Scoble that "it might be some" when he asked it how much it was controlled by AI. Another robot -- or the human voicing it -- told an attendee in a stilted impression of a synthetic voice, "Today, I am assisted by a human," adding that it's not fully autonomous. (The voice stumbled on the word "autonomous.") Musk first announced Tesla's humanoid robot by bringing what was very clearly a person in a robot suit on stage, so it's no surprise that the Optimuses (Optimi? Optimodes?) at last week's event were hyperbolic in their presentation. And people who went didn't seem to feel upset or betrayed by that. But if you were hoping to have any sense of how far along Tesla truly is in its humanoid robotics work, the "We, Robot" event wasn't the place to look. Most Popular Most Popular 1. The Optimus robots at Tesla's Cybercab event were humans in disguise ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Marques Brownlee says 'we failed on the price' with Panels ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Tesla's Robovan is the surprise of the night ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4. The Tesla Cybercab is a cool-looking prototype that needed to be much more than that ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Steam now says the 'game' you're buying is really just a license ----------------------------------------------------------------- Verge Deals / Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox weekly. Email (required)[ ]Sign up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. From our sponsor Advertiser Content FromSponsor logo Sponsor thumbnail More from this stream Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi event: the biggest news and announcements * Here's what its like to ride in a Tesla Cybercab. Oct 11, 2024, 3:15 PM UTC * The Tesla Cybercab is a cool-looking prototype that needed to be much more than that Oct 11, 2024, 3:08 PM UTC * Investors not convinced. Oct 11, 2024, 8:42 AM UTC * Missed Tesla's Cybercab event? Oct 11, 2024, 3:57 AM UTC See all 36 stories The Verge logo. * Cookie Settings * Terms of Use * Privacy Notice * Cookie Policy * Licensing FAQ * Accessibility * Platform Status * How We Rate and Review Products * Contact * Tip Us * Community Guidelines * About * Ethics Statement The Verge is a vox media network * Advertise with us * Jobs @ Vox Media (c) 2024 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved