Up until a few months ago, humanoid robots have always felt like science fiction. But thanks to robotics companies like Boston Dynamics and Tesla, we are getting to see some really interesting things.
Tesla’s Optimus robot is back in the spotlight, and this time, it’s breaking out some surprisingly smooth dance moves. Yep, you read that right. Tesla dropped a new video of Optimus dancing like it's at a house party, showing off just how far the tech has come.
It’s not just about the moves, though. This clip is more than a flex; it’s proof that Optimus is getting faster, smoother, and more human-like by the day.
According to Tesla’s robotics boss Milan Kovac, the dancing wasn’t just a gimmick. Optimus learned those moves entirely through reinforcement learning in a simulated environment. The robot wasn’t pre-programmed; it actually learned and trained like a human would in a virtual space.
Also, for anyone wondering about the cable spotted in the clip, Kovac clarified that it was just a safety precaution and wasn’t supporting the robot. So yes, Optmius did make all of those moves, on its own.
The version you see in the video is Tesla’s third-gen Optimus robot, revealed in March 2025. And this one’s a serious level-up. It now has 22 degrees of freedom in its hands (up from 11), can recharge itself, and runs on AI that helps it learn new tasks without needing to be manually programmed.
Think of it like this: instead of being told what to do step-by-step, Optimus is figuring stuff out on its own, like how to walk better, handle objects, or in this case, dance.
Elon Musk’s big vision is to have “thousands” of Optimus bots working at Tesla factories within the next couple of years. These bots will take over the repetitive, dangerous, and straight-up boring jobs humans don’t want.
But that’s not all; Musk also wants Optimus to eventually handle tasks at home — babysitting, dog-walking, lawn-mowing, grocery runs, and even being your personal bartender. The dream? A robot buddy that can do it all.
The price won’t be cheap? Tesla is planning to sell the Optimus for about $20,000 per unit. But Tesla might offer a rental model to make it more accessible.
Tesla isn’t the only one pushing boundaries here. Companies like Figure AI, Boston Dynamics, and Apptronik are also in the game, not to mention some fierce competition from China. Everyone’s racing to build the world’s first truly practical humanoid robot.
The goal is to head for mass production, as quickly as possible. And while the tech still has hurdles like cost and safety, it’s clear: humanoid robots are no longer a far-off dream. They’re knocking on our front door.
