Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that while the third generation of the Optimus humanoid robot is officially mobile, the public will have to wait a little longer for its grand unveiling. Addressing the missed first-quarter deadline for the reveal, Musk provided a brief update on the status of the project late on March 31.
“Optimus 3 is walking around, but needs some finishing touches before it’s ready to be shown,” Musk stated.
The delay comes as a disappointment to those expecting a major presentation before the end of March, a timeline Tesla had previously signaled in its Q4 2025 earnings report. However, the news that the robot is already operational aligns with recent sightings. This week, Optimus is working at the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, observed moving and performing basic tasks for onlookers.
Optimus 3 represents a massive leap forward in Tesla’s robotics program. Unlike the earlier research-focused prototypes, Gen 3 is the first iteration designed specifically for mass production. It features highly advanced hands with 22 degrees of freedom—double that of the Gen 2 model—and is powered by the new AI5 chip. This hardware allows the robot to run the same neural network architecture used in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software.
The stakes for this project have never been higher. Tesla recently stopped taking custom orders for the Model S and Model X to transition its Fremont production lines toward robot manufacturing. Musk has repeatedly emphasized that the success of Optimus is central to Tesla’s long-term valuation, even suggesting it could eventually surpass the automotive side of the business.
While a new official date hasn’t been set, the “finishing touches” likely involve software polishing and hardware reliability testing to ensure the robot is genuinely impressive for its first official stage appearance. For now, production timelines for low-volume output remain targeted for this summer, with a wider ramp-up expected in 2027.
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