Overview
- A short clip from Tesla’s “Autonomy Visualized” event at a Miami store shows an Optimus unit handing out water bottles before losing balance and falling backward.
- Just before the fall, the robot lifted both hands to its head in a motion resembling removal of a VR headset, a gesture observers say is typical of teleoperated control.
- The footage first appeared on Reddit and spread across X and other platforms, reviving public scrutiny of how much Optimus demos rely on human operators.
- Elon Musk has asserted that some recent demonstrations—such as a kung fu routine and an appearance at the Tron: Ares premiere—were “AI, not tele-operated.”
- Outlets report Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment, with analysts noting that falls are common in R&D and that the debate centers on disclosure and autonomy claims.