'Most Interesting Time': Elon Musk Predicts Soon There Will Be 'More Robots Than People'

Last Updated:January 22, 2026, 22:22 IST

Several companies are betting that humanoid robots will address labor shortages and handle repetitive, dangerous, or tedious tasks.

Tesla owner Elon Musk

Elon Musk painted an ambitious vision of a robot-filled future, declaring that humanoid machines will become as commonplace as smartphones even as his own company’s robotic ambitions continue to lag behind schedule.

“By the end of next year I think we’d be selling humanoid robots to the public," Elon Musk said, adding, “My prediction is there’ll be more robots than people… everyone on Earth is going to have one and going to want one… who wouldn’t want a robot to… watch over your kids, take care of your pets… we are in the most interesting time in history."

Elon Musk’s Pattern Of Delayed Promises

The bold prediction stands in contrast to Tesla’s actual progress. In April 2025, Elon Musk acknowledged that the company’s humanoid robot remains confined to laboratory testing, though he suggested it might reach the market by the end of next year.

This marks the latest in a series of shifting timelines for the project. In July 2024, Elon Musk announced that Tesla would begin producing humanoid robots in 2025 for internal use, with external sales planned for 2026. Those targets have now slipped further into the future.

Growing Competition In Humanoid Robotics

While Tesla’s Optimus robot remains in development, the broader industry has been accelerating. Several companies are betting that humanoid robots will address labor shortages and handle repetitive, dangerous, or tedious tasks across logistics, warehousing, retail and manufacturing sectors.

Japan’s Honda and Hyundai Motor’s Boston Dynamics have been developing humanoid robots for years. More recently, Figure- a startup backed by Microsoft and Nvidia- announced a partnership with BMW to deploy humanoid robots at the German automaker’s US facility.

Elon Musk’s renewed focus on robotics comes amid mounting pressure to reduce costs at Tesla. The electric vehicle maker has faced weakening demand for its cars, spurring the CEO to seek new revenue streams and operational efficiencies. The promise of humanoid robots performing tasks from childcare to pet-sitting represents a dramatic expansion of Tesla’s ambitions beyond automobiles and energy products.

News world 'Most Interesting Time': Elon Musk Predicts Soon There Will Be 'More Robots Than People'

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