Tesla CEO Elon Musk Announces Humanoid Robot

TheVerge.com reported that Elon Musk has announced a TESLA Humanoid robot that is designed to be a general purpose assistant. 

"Tesla CEO Elon Musk says his company is working on a humanoid robot and that it will build a prototype 'sometime next year.' The humanoid robot will leverage Tesla’s experience with automated machines in its factories, as well as some of the hardware and software that powers the company’s Autopilot driver assistance software.

Musk, who has spoken repeatedly about his fears of runaway artificial intelligence, said the Tesla Bot is 'intended to be friendly,' but that the company is designing the machine at a 'mechanical level' so that “you can run away from it, and most likely overpower it.' It will be five feet, eight inches tall, weigh 125 pounds, and have a screen for a face. The code name for the bot inside the company is 'Optimus.' ... I think essentially in the future, physical work will be a choice, if you want to do it you can,” Musk said.

The TESLA AI website also noted:

“Tesla Bot
Develop the next generation of automation, including a general purpose, bi-pedal, humanoid robot capable of performing tasks that are unsafe, repetitive or boring. We’re seeking mechanical, electrical, controls and software engineers to help us leverage our AI expertise beyond our vehicle fleet.”