Tesla plans to start collecting data for training its Optimus humanoid robots at its Austin Gigafactory next month. The company has informed employees of this expansion from its ongoing efforts in Fremont, California. CEO Elon Musk highlighted the robot's progress during a recent appearance at Davos.
During a town hall meeting last week, Tesla notified its workers about initiating data collection to train the Optimus humanoid robot at the company's Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. Insiders indicated that the effort is slated to begin in February, building on more than a year of similar training at the Fremont, California, factory. There, data collectors have been recording tasks such as organizing vehicle parts and working on conveyor belts, using the footage to teach Optimus to replicate movements. These collectors operate separately from regular production to avoid disruptions, wearing helmets equipped with multi-directional cameras attached to heavy backpacks, though lighter alternatives like fanny packs have been tested. Tesla employs several dozen such trainers, leveraging the expertise of its thousands of factory workers. In a recent interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, CEO Elon Musk stated that Optimus is currently performing 'simple tasks' in a Tesla factory, without specifying the location. He added, 'By the end of this year I think they'll be doing more complex tasks but still deployed in an industrial environment. By the end of next year I think we'll be selling humanoid robots to the public.' Musk has described Optimus as potentially 'the biggest product of all time,' envisioning applications from factory work to housework and even data centers in space. The company first unveiled Optimus in 2021 and shared videos in 2024 showing it handling batteries, with two autonomous units deployed in a factory that year. However, Musk cautioned on X that production of Optimus, alongside the Cybercab vehicle, would be 'agonizingly slow.' The Austin town hall also addressed updates to production lines and ongoing construction at the facility, amid recent adjustments like reduced Cybertruck hours due to sales. A Tesla spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
