Tesla AI chief clarifies viral Optimus robot movements were remotely controlled, not autonomous

Tesla's artificial intelligence leader Ashok Elluswamy publicly acknowledged that eye-catching combat and athletic moves circulated in online videos of the Optimus humanoid robot were not autonomously generated but rather remotely controlled through human teleoperation. Elluswamy warned that ensuring safety for physical robots operating in uncontrolled environments is orders of magnitude more challenging than current large-language-model safety protocols. The clarification underscores a gap between Optimus's intended end goal—a general-purpose autonomous humanoid robot—and its present capabilities, which remain limited to pre-programmed or human-directed movements. Elon Musk agreed with Elluswamy's assessment, and the company has acknowledged that no humanoid robot today can reliably perform generalized tasks on command without explicit programming.

1. Tesla AI chief Ashok Elluswamy stated that viral Optimus robot combat moves were remotely controlled, not autonomous.
2. Elluswamy warned that AI safety for physical robots is far harder than current large-language-model safety, calling it more challenging than today's AI safeguards.
3. Elon Musk signaled agreement with Elluswamy's post on X.
4. Musk previously stated during Tesla's Q2 2026 earnings call that many humanoid robot demonstrations online are pre-programmed or remotely controlled.
5. Tesla describes Optimus's end goal as a general-purpose autonomous humanoid robot that can handle balance, navigation, perception and physical interaction.