--- title: "Tesla’s Robots Were Just Remotely Controlled Dummies, Analyst Confirms" description: "An army of Tesla Optimus humanoid robots could be seen pouring drinks and conversing with eventgoers. They were remotely operated by humans." date: "2024-10-15" modified: "2024-10-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-robots-remotely-controlled-analyst" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" - "Tesla" tags: - "elon musk" - "Humanoid Robots" - "optimus" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla’s Robots Were Just Remotely Controlled Dummies, Analyst Confirms ![An army of Tesla Optimus humanoid robots could be seen pouring drinks and conversing with eventgoers. They were remotely operated by humans.]() *\Image: Tesla\* ## Smoke and Mirrors Tesla's "We, Robot" event last week failed to impress investors, with shares of the EV maker [dropping precipitously]() on Friday morning. The company put on a [glitzy show on a Hollywood movie studio lot](), an appropriate venue given that most of what Tesla showed off was a mere hint of what the future could one day look like — not the current state of technology. Case in point: An army of [extremely "I, Robot"-like Optimus humanoid robots]() could be seen pouring drinks and conversing with eventgoers. But despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk making a big deal out of artificial intelligence at the event, the robots were teleoperated by humans, a smoke-and-mirrors tech demo that had investors shaking their heads, and raising plenty of questions over Tesla's ability to bring the tech to the masses. ## Walkie-Talkie In a note, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas [wrote]() that the bots "relied on tele-ops (human intervention)." Sources also [told *Bloomberg*]() that the Optimus robots were reportedly using AI to walk, but relied on assistance from a nearby human to chat. During the event, Musk promised that Optimus "can be a teacher, babysit your kids, it can walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries, just be your friend, serve drinks. Whatever you can think of, it will do." But given the fact that it still relies on a human for assistance, such a future is likely still many years out — if it ever materializes. A [video]() that circulated on social media following the event showed an Optimus robot skillfully holding down a conversation. "What's the hardest thing about being a robot?" it was asked. "Uhh… trying to… learn to be as human as you guys," the robot replied. Investors were also [unimpressed by the company's "robotaxi" vehicle called the Cybercab](), an avant-garde, two-seater take on the kind of vehicles the likes of Waymo have been using as part of their autonomous ride-hailing service for years. In short, despite still being [worth more than the world's top automakers combined](), Tesla has far more to prove than ever before. And that's in large part thanks to Musk's penchant for making wildly disproportionate and [overly ambitious claims](). CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson [described the event]() as "watching a movie with a lot of plot twists and special effects, and at the end, you're walking out scratching your head." We couldn't have said it better ourselves. **More on Tesla:** *[Tesla's Disappointing Robotaxi Event Sent Shares of Uber and Lyft Soaring]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()