Tesla unveils new Optimus robot with xAI integration

At a meeting with Elon Musk and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Tesla unveiled the latest prototype of its humanoid robot Optimus. According to TeslaRati, the robot is now equipped with Grok, the chatbot developed by Musk’s xAI.

Conversational abilities remain limited, it often takes several follow-up commands to get a coherent answer. In one demo, Benioff asked the robot if it could bring him a soda. Optimus replied that it didn’t have up-to-date information and suggested checking the kitchen. After a series of instructions, the robot accompanied him, moving with loud mechanical sounds.

The new prototype also features design changes. Instead of its usual light exterior, Optimus now sports a dark-gold finish, and its arms are more enclosed, with no visible joints. Musk explained that engineers reworked the manipulators: actuators have been moved into the forearm, and the fingers are controlled via a cable system, making the mechanics closer to human anatomy.

Musk believes Optimus will eventually become one of Tesla’s core products, potentially accounting for up to 80% of the company’s revenue.