On Friday, at AI Day 2022, Tesla and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk unveiled the prototype of a humanoid robot called Optimus. He had teased about his vision for a robot at last year’s AI day, the first one by the electric vehicle maker. The CEO wished to affirm that Tesla was more than an electric vehicle maker and was developing artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics, as well.

By its own admission, Tesla used a dancer in costume last year, but Friday’s unveiling saw a robot prototype whose wires could be seen and it managed to perform. The humanoid robot named Optimus walked a few steps. It waved to the crowd. It also managed to make a few basic dance moves.

Elon Musk, who has a different sense of humor, quipped that the robot’s stage performance had been limited as they didn’t want it to fall on its face. He added that it was the first time that the robot was operated without a tether.

A sleeker model of the robot was also shown. Although it was mostly non functional, Musk said that it was a better representation of the production version. He said that there was still a lot of work to be completed to refine Optimus and declared that it “won’t be boring.”

Although the robot is not ready for shipping, Musk offered some information. He said that a robot would be cheaper than a car and is expected to cost below $20,000. It would be ready within three to five years, after orders.

The electric vehicle maker said that its robots would be able to handle different tasks. According to Tesla, the robot would handle lifting heavy weights and an example of it being able to lift a half-ton, 9- foot concert piano was mentioned.

Other features including conversational abilities, features of safeguards so that there would be no wrongdoing by the robot as well as being a machine that would help prevent labor shortages and also do several chores were mentioned by Tesla and CEO, Elon Musk.

Why does Musk want to buy Twitter and for how much