Feng Huang Wang·2025-11-03 07:10Core Insights - Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus, is being trained to perform human-like activities, which CEO Elon Musk considers a key component of the company's future business strategy [5][6][23] - The company aims to produce 1 million units of Optimus annually, with the robot potentially accounting for 80% of Tesla's enterprise valuation [5] - The training process involves extensive physical tasks performed by data collection operators, who simulate daily human actions to teach the robot [6][7] Group 1: Training Process - Employees in a glass-walled lab simulate daily activities like lifting cups and cleaning surfaces, repeating each action hundreds of times [3][6] - The training is physically demanding, with operators required to perform various movements, and if actions are deemed "not human-like," they must be corrected [6][9] - The company has shifted from using motion capture suits to a purely visual data collection method to enhance scalability [11][12] Group 2: Employee Experience - The job is described as physically taxing, with reports of injuries such as back pain and discomfort from wearing heavy equipment [15][16][17] - Employees have noted that the work can feel repetitive and monotonous, often likening it to "teaching a baby" [7][12] - The performance evaluation system for data collection operators is rigorous, with quantifiable metrics impacting their job security [24][26] Group 3: Demonstrations and Public Perception - Demonstrations for investors are highly curated, often resembling a "theatrical performance" to showcase the robot's capabilities [20][21] - Despite impressive public displays, experts caution that these demonstrations may mislead observers about the robot's actual capabilities, which are still in development [26] - Musk continues to promote an ambitious vision for Optimus, suggesting it will resemble a human more than a traditional robot [26]