Elon Musk speaks again about the Optimus robot: "No Terminator-style stuff" The Tesla Bot is one of the company's most ambitious projects and also the one that draws the most attention.
By Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki Edited by Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki
This article was translated from our Spanish edition.
Is it time to review Isaac Asimov's laws of robotics? After listening to Elon Musk one confirms yes. The CEO of Tesla , SpaceX and now the majority owner of Twitter , it is impossible not to be surprised. Yesterday, during the inauguration of a new electric car plant in Austin, Texas , the businessman spoke about Optimus , the robot that Tesla is already developing and that could come to our lives sooner than we imagined. Musk explained: "I think we have an opportunity to start production on the first version of Optimus, hopefully next year."
Although Tesla has not yet revealed a prototype of the android or made it clear how sophisticated it will be, Musk mentioned that it will "transform the world" and that it will be able to do all those things that we humans would not want to have to do.
Optimus, also known as the Tesla Bot , is one of the company's most ambitious projects. In August of last year Musk and his team discussed the project and clarified that it will be built so that anyone can dominate it or escape from it. Then the businessman said that it will measure 5' 8" meters, will weigh 125 pounds, will be able to carry loads of up to 44 pounds and will move at a maximum speed of five miles per hour. Yesterday the businessman referred to the robot's safety again: "During the development of Optimus, everyone will work to make it safe; no Terminator-style stuff."
The Teslabot has generated enormous expectation and Elon himself knows it: "I think that over time it has the potential to become something more significant than the vehicle business."
According to the businessman, Optimus could start production in 2023 .
The three laws of robotics
In 1942, Runaround , a short story by writer Isaac Asimov, was published, in which his laws of robotics were first mentioned. Faced with a scenario in which the manufacture of androids is getting closer, it is worth reviewing them (do you hear us, Elon?):
First law. A robot will not harm a human being or by inaction allow a human being to come to harm.
Second law. A robot must comply with the orders given by human beings, except for those that conflict with the first law.
Third law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as this protection does not conflict with the first or second law.