Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) AI chief Ashok Elluswamy warned that keeping physical robots safe poses a far harder challenge than today’s large-model safeguards after clarifying that the eye-catching combat moves in a viral humanoid-robot video were not autonomous.

Elluswamy Warns Physical AI Raises Stakes

"For those who don’t know, these robot moves are essentially remote controlled," Elluswamy wrote on X. "The robot rather blindly performs those while maintaining balance and such. AI safety for physical robots makes the current crop of AI safety for large models look like child’s play. Extremely important to get it right."

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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 20, 2026

Elon Musk responded to Elluswamy’s post with a "100" emoji, signaling agreement.

Teleoperation Still Falls Short Of Autonomy

The distinction matters because teleoperation can produce impressive motion without the robot deciding what to do on its own. Tesla on its website describes Optimus’ end goal as a "general purpose, bi-pedal, autonomous humanoid robot" whose software must handle balance, navigation, perception and interaction with the physical world.

Musk made a similar distinction during Tesla’s second-quarter earnings call. He said many impressive humanoid demonstrations online are "pre-programmed or remote controlled" and that no humanoid robot can yet perform generalized tasks on command without programming. The company’s Q2 discussion also highlighted the challenge of turning Optimus into a genuinely general-purpose machine.

In a special report last month, Reuters documented the same gap across the broader humanoid industry. Chinese robots have demonstrated kung-fu-style moves and other athletic routines, but many still struggle with dexterity, adaptability and reliable autonomous factory work.

That gap raises the stakes around "embodied AI," where software decisions translate into physical movement. The International Federation of Robotics said about 7,000 humanoids were sold globally for industrial and professional-service uses in 2025, with most still used for research and AI-data collection rather than productive commercial work, Reuters reported.

Tesla Pushes Optimus Toward Commercial Scale

Tesla is nevertheless scaling its bet. Elluswamy took responsibility for Optimus after program chief Milan Kovac left in June 2025. Tesla later installed its first-generation Optimus production line in Fremont. Elluswamy said Optimus has "big shoes to fill", while Musk cautioned that initial production will be "extremely slow".

Price Action: TSLA shares grew 1.63% to $370.20 during pre-market trading on Monday.

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