Elon Musk claimed on a recent podcast that Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots will surpass the skills of top human surgeons within three years. He described pursuing medical school as pointless in light of advancing AI capabilities. The prediction highlights Tesla's pivot toward robotics amid challenges in its electric vehicle sales.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, made headlines during an appearance on the 'Moonshots' podcast by forecasting a rapid transformation in healthcare through artificial intelligence. Musk stated that Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots, designed for tasks requiring dexterity and intelligence, would exceed the precision of the best human surgeons on Earth within three years. He elaborated that these robots would achieve even greater dominance in the healthcare industry over the next four to five years, potentially reducing malpractice errors and scaling procedures to meet global demands, including for underserved patients.
'Don’t go into medical school… Pointless,' Musk bluntly advised when asked about the value of medical education today. He envisions Optimus performing surgeries with superhuman accuracy, positioning the technology as a game-changer for accessibility and efficiency in medicine.
This bold assertion aligns with Tesla's broader strategic shift toward AI and robotics, as the company grapples with a 6.7 percent global sales decline in 2025—the second consecutive year of reduced deliveries. Tesla produced 1.65 million vehicles that year but operated at only 70 percent capacity, leaving 700,000 units unused. Factories in Berlin and Austin ran below potential, with Europe's sales dropping 28 percent amid cooled U.S. demand and fierce Chinese competition.
To address underutilized plants, Musk announced late 2025 plans to produce Optimus robots at Tesla's Fremont facility, targeting one million units annually, with a second line in Austin aiming for 10 million. Priced at $20,000, Optimus is marketed for household and commercial use, though analysts question its real-world viability without proven scalability.
Experts caution that regulatory approvals, ethical issues, and extensive clinical trials could delay Musk's timeline. Nonetheless, AI is already advancing healthcare, with tools like Aidoc aiding in diagnostic imaging and companies such as Recursion Pharmaceuticals accelerating drug discovery. Musk's vision underscores Tesla's ambition to redefine its identity beyond electric vehicles, leveraging innovation to navigate market stagnation.
