In a recent video shared on X, Elon Musk showcased Tesla’s Optimus robot purportedly folding a shirt at a table, sparking intrigue and speculation among online observers. Musk captioned the video with a simple statement: “Optimus folds a shirt.” However, within 30 minutes, he followed up with a clarification that the robot is not yet capable of autonomously folding shirts, leaving questions about the authenticity of the video.
Musk’s additional post read, “Important note: Optimus cannot yet do this autonomously, but certainly will be able to do this fully autonomously and in an arbitrary environment (won’t require a fixed table with box that has only one shirt).” Despite this clarification, Musk did not provide a timeline for when this capability might be achieved.
Tesla’s Optimus robot, unveiled by Musk in 2021, has been previously showcased in videos demonstrating various tasks such as yoga stretches, squats, and picking up an egg. Musk had emphasized that the robot would leverage the same AI systems powering Tesla’s self-driving cars.
This particular video, however, faced scrutiny on X and Threads, Meta’s social media platform challenging X. Observers quickly dissected the footage, with some users accusing Musk and Tesla of potential manipulation. Notable tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee sought clarification from Musk, asking whether the video was live or computer-generated, but Musk did not respond.
A user on Threads presented a slow-motion version of the video, pointing out what seemed to be autonomous movements of the shirt, raising questions about potential computer-generated elements. In addition, the far right of the video showed a gloved hand briefly entering and exiting the frame, mimicking the movements of the Tesla robot.
Despite skepticism, some users argued that the robot was likely operated remotely rather than autonomously, drawing parallels with established remote-controlled surgical robots used in medical procedures for decades. Supporters of Elon Musk and his endeavors in robotics expressed admiration on X, with podcast host Lex Friedman responding to the video with “Amazing work.” The ongoing discourse highlights the public’s keen interest and scrutiny in the development of Tesla’s robotic technologies.
