Musk: Robots will be bigger business than cars

"Elon Musk has another target to keep an eye on - this time they are humanoid robots. Some experts are skeptical about the billionaire's vision.

The controversial billionaire already produces electric cars, which are increasingly becoming autonomous vehicles, he also has SpaceX and reusable rockets to carry loads into space. 

 

However, this is not enough for him, and Elon Musk believes his experience in creating autonomous vehicles allows him to think about producing humanoid robots.

 

The project called Optimus was presented last year by a man in a robot costume dancing on stage. The presentation has become a popular meme, but what is hidden behind it is the idea of ​​using artificial intelligence used in Tesla vehicles to control androids. The humanoid robot announced by Musk is to have a height of about 172 cm, a screen instead of a face, and will be able to lift weights up to about 70 kg and move at a speed of about 7 km per hour.

This week, Elon Musk has made his plans to use androids a bit more specific. In his opinion, the first use of his robots will be in Tesla factories. - They will wear factory parts or something - quotes the BBC vision of Elon Musk.

However, specialists see many obstacles for the Optimus project. First of all, the question of using artificial intelligence developed for Tesla vehicles to create Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

- The idea that you can already have AGI because you created a driverless vehicle is absurd. Even if this car is powerful, it would not be an AGI, but a highly functional narrow intelligence, says Alan Winfield, professor of robotics ethics from the University of West England, in an interview with the BBC.

Winfiled also reminded that Google and Facebook have problems with the development of AGI, although they employ the best specialists in artificial intelligence. He described Elon Musk's idea as "extremely arrogant".

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is not everything. There are still issues of solutions that enable robots to move efficiently and coordinate limbs in any activity. Even the most advanced Boston Dynamics robots have problems, and the company is one of the most advanced in the research and implementation of humanoid robots.

 

On one point, however, specialists agree with Musk - the path to true general AI will be through robots."