Elon Musk just made Tesla Inc's (NASDAQ:TSLA) most ambitious pivot yet. From cars to robots, AI chips, and autonomy—Musk is framing humanoid robots as a macroeconomic force, not a sci-fi side bet.
On Tesla's fourth quarter earnings call, Musk said Optimus robots could "move the needle on US GDP significantly." He basically signalled that Tesla sees humanoid AI hardware as its next platform-scale product.
From EVs To Robots: A Factory-Scale Pivot
Tesla plans to wind down Model S and X production to free up factory space for Optimus, with Musk targeting "a million units a year" in the long run. That ambition targets iPhone-scale production for physical AI hardware.
Tesla is pitching Optimus 3 (expected in the coming months) as a general-purpose robot that can learn tasks through observation, instruction, or video demonstration. It could position Tesla as a potential AI labor platform, not just an automaker.
The Utopian Vision: ‘Universal High Income'
Musk reframed Tesla's mission around AI-driven abundance, arguing "we actually are headed to a future of universal high income."
The narrative reset positions Tesla at the center of a post-labor, AI-driven economy.
AI Chips As The Real Bottleneck
Musk warned that AI hardware—not EV demand—could cap Tesla's growth. He called chip supply the biggest constraint for the next three to four years.
He floated building a Tesla "terafab" to produce logic and memory domestically, citing geopolitical risks and supply chain fragility.
Why This Matters
The subtext is clear: Tesla is reallocating capital from legacy vehicles toward robots, AI chips, and autonomy. That could imply massive upside, massive capex, and uncertain timelines.
Musk is pitching Optimus as the next iPhone moment—platform-scale, economy-shifting, and existential for Tesla's valuation. The market now has to decide how much of that future to price in today.
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