Earlier today, Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, unveiled an upcoming product the company is working on — a humanoid robot powered by the same self-driving A.I. technology used by their cars.
Also known as the Tesla Bot, the unveiling was made by Musk at the end of the company's AI Day presentation.
Key Highlights
- Tesla Bot is a 5-foot-8-inch robot that weighs about 125 pounds.
- The robot is built from "lightweight materials", and has a screen on its head for user interaction.
- According to Musk, Tesla Bot is "intended to be friendly", and can easily be outrun and overpowered by people (for safety purposes).
- Musk expects the Tesla Bot prototype to be ready in 2022.
Why It Matters
- The Tesla Bot has the potential to change the future of work, gradually taking over most of the heavy lifting work that people are doing daily.
- One particular slide at the event mentioned that the Tesla Bot would eliminate "dangerous, repetitive, boring tasks,". Musk provided an example suggesting that the robot could potentially go to the store and buy groceries for people.
- Musk also adds that there will be "no shortage of manpower" in the future, further hinting at the need for a "Universal Basic Income" economic structure.