Tesla has recently made a significant number of headlines as a result of their problematic recalls, abnormal vehicle designs, and controversial CEO, Elon Musk. But recently, their Tesla Bot, also known as “Optimus,” has been making headlines as a result of an unexpected collaboration with Kim Kardashian.
Kardashian recently posted a video showcasing the Tesla Bot as her “new friend,” where she plays Rock Paper Scissors with the bot. The post left many people confused on social media, wondering why she had the robot in such early stages of development and if she had anything to do with the device. Some speculate she’s received a very early stage of the product to promote it on her social media, but are her viewers the target audience for a Tesla Bot?
Tesla announced the humanoid robot as a prototype in 2022, where the purpose of this new technology is to assist people with everyday activities, such as cooking, grocery shopping, dog walking, or other household chores. The device uses AI technology, also made by developers at Tesla, to work autonomously and improve the robot’s understanding of their environment. While the Tesla Bot is still in earlier stages of development, it is entering a period of limited production where it will receive more updates to allow for a public release in the future, but it likely won’t be found in the average household due to its steep price of $20,000 to $30,000.
The rise of the Tesla Bot follows a similar trend: the Tesla Cybertruck. The Cybertruck was announced to the public in 2019, and was to scheduled to hit the market in 2021. However, many delays such as the pandemic, significant design changes, various complications with the car itself, and low availability for many of the materials required to produce the car stalled production. Instead, major production commenced in late 2023. The Cybertruck has received mixed reviews. People either love or hate the design, and the car has been recalled multiple times since its release just a year ago. Currently, the Tesla Robot is projected for a widespread release in 2026, but given that the technology still has some flaws, the 2026 release date is likely to change.
But what does a public release truly mean? With a steep price nearly equivalent to the price of a new car, who does Tesla believe is the target demographic for the new Tesla Bot? The Tesla Bot might simply be another ridiculous status symbol for the upper class, and personally, I don’t believe Kim Kardashian needs any additional gadgets in her home to collect dust. It raises the question: Is this simply another high tech company using their resources and money to make products for the higher classes, or are they trying to have a larger societal impact?