Last Thursday, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) hosted its AI Day event. Elon Musk has branded these presentations as a recruiting opportunity, a way for the company to attract top talent in the field of artificial intelligence. But they also allow Tesla to showcase its technology, giving investors a glimpse of what the future will hold.
With that in mind, here are two of the most important takeaways from Tesla’s AI Day.
Image source: Tesla.
2. Tesla plans to build an autonomous humanoid
Near the end of the AI Day event, Tesla delivered some surprising news in a very dramatic fashion. After a dancer dressed like a robot briefly entertained the audience, Musk announced that Tesla is, in fact, working on an AI-powered humanoid robot.
The so-called Tesla Bot will weigh 125 pounds, walk up to 5 miles per hour, and will be 5-foot-8 tall. It will also be able to carry up to 45 pounds. According to Musk, the bot will eventually eliminate the need for humans to take part in boring, repetitive, and/or dangerous tasks. For example, Musk referenced sending the Tesla Bot to the grocery store.
No, this is not a gimmick. Given Tesla’s expertise in artificial intelligence, the company is well-positioned to build an autonomous humanoid. That being said, investors shouldn’t get too excited just yet. Musk mentioned that a prototype would be ready next year, but Tesla has a history of making over-ambitious promises. However, as an investor, I appreciate seeing an enthusiastic management team, and this is definitely something to watch in the coming years.
This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. We’re motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.