Musk stated that if Tesla gains full confidence in the reliability, safety, and functional scope of its robots, public sales will commence by the end of next year, allowing users to 'essentially request it to perform almost any task you desire.' The company has already begun providing Robotaxi services in Austin, Texas, without an in-car safety supervisor. He predicted that by the end of this year or at the latest by next year, AI will become 'smarter than any human.'
$Tesla (TSLA.US)$ Tesla CEO Elon Musk outlined an ambitious blueprint encompassing humanoid robots, autonomous driving, space exploration, and artificial intelligence (AI) at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He predicted that AI could surpass human intelligence by the end of this year, while Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus is expected to be available for public purchase by the end of next year.
On Thursday, January 22, local time, Musk made a rare appearance at the Davos Forum for a conversation with Blackrock CEO Larry Fink. He revealed that Tesla has already deployed some Optimus robots in its factories to perform simple tasks and anticipates that by the end of this year, these robots will be capable of handling more complex operations. Musk stated that if Tesla is confident in the robots' reliability, safety, and functional range, public sales will commence by the end of next year.
During the discussion, Musk also mentioned that Tesla's autonomous taxi service, Robotaxi, is expected to see large-scale deployment across the United States this year. “By the end of this year, the service will be extremely widespread across the U.S.,” he said, noting that Robotaxi services without onboard safety supervisors have already begun in Austin, Texas. SpaceX aims to achieve full reusability of the Starship rocket this year. He forecasted that by the end of this year or at the latest by next year, AI will become 'smarter than any human.'
During Musk’s remarks, Tesla’s stock price continued to rise. By midday on Thursday, intraday gains expanded to over 4%, closing up more than 4% and hitting a new high since January 5, erasing most losses incurred since the beginning of 2026 after two consecutive days of gains.
Tesla's core automotive business has seen declining deliveries for two consecutive years due to an aging product lineup and the elimination of U.S. EV subsidies. The areas of autonomous driving, AI, and robotics that Musk highlighted are now regarded as critical priorities for Tesla. In early September last year, Musk stated that approximately 80% of Tesla’s value would come from the Optimus robot project, which he first proposed four years ago.
Timeline for Optimus Robot Progress Clarified
Musk provided a more specific timeline for the commercialization of the Optimus humanoid robot. He indicated that public sales would begin when Tesla is confident that the robots possess 'extremely high reliability, extremely high safety, and an extensive functional range,' at which point users could 'basically ask it to do almost anything you want.'
Tesla is currently using some Optimus robots in its factories to perform basic tasks. Musk predicted that by the end of 2026, these robots will be able to 'carry out more complex tasks.'
Although Musk frequently discusses the potential of Optimus, his previous statements about production timelines and targets were relatively vague. During the earnings call in January 2025, he mentioned that Tesla's 'very rough estimate' was to begin delivering Optimus robots to other companies in the second half of 2026. Earlier this week, Musk also cautioned that the initial production of Optimus and Tesla’s latest model, Cybercab, would be 'extremely slow.'
Musk has previously predicted that humanoid robots will eventually outnumber humans, with billions of machines not only deployed in factories but also entering households to assist with tasks ranging from washing dishes to taking care of children.
Advances in Autonomous Driving and Space Exploration
In the field of autonomous driving, Musk claimed that this is "essentially a solved problem." He stated that Tesla's full self-driving software is sometimes updated on a weekly basis, and some insurers offer customers using this technology a 50% discount on insurance premiums due to its safety record. Tesla has already launched robotaxi services in multiple cities and expects to deploy them widely across the United States by the end of this year, with supervised full self-driving approval in Europe potentially granted next month.
In terms of space exploration, Musk mentioned that SpaceX aims to achieve complete reusability of rockets through Starship this year. He described Starship as "the largest flying vehicle ever created," and noted that this breakthrough could reduce the cost of access to space by 100 times, bringing it below $100 per pound. SpaceX has demonstrated the ability to capture rocket boosters on the launch pad but has yet to attempt the recovery and reuse of the Starship spacecraft.
Musk also discussed plans to launch solar-powered AI satellites within the next few years. He pointed out that solar panels in space are five times more efficient than those on Earth due to continuous sunlight and the absence of atmospheric interference. He predicted that "the lowest-cost deployment of AI will be in space," which could be realized within two to three years.
Predictions on AI Development and Energy Infrastructure
Musk made bold predictions about AI development, stating that AI could become "smarter than any human" by the end of this year or "at the latest, next year." This forecast underscores his belief in the rapid advancement of AI technology.
Regarding energy production, Musk stated that a solar panel array covering an area of 100 square miles could power the entire United States. He revealed that teams from SpaceX and Tesla are working toward establishing 100 gigawatts of annual solar manufacturing capacity in the U.S. within approximately three years.
Musk's appearance at Davos was unexpected, as he had previously criticized the forum as "boring" and attacked the World Economic Forum for becoming "an unelected world government that no one asked for or wanted." In 2022, he posted on social media: "What’s up with the World Economic Forum/Davos? Are they trying to be the boss of the Earth?"
During the conversation, Musk emphasized that the overarching goal of his companies is to maximize the possibility of civilization achieving a bright future and extending consciousness beyond Earth.
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