Elon Musk wants you to imagine a future where mowing the lawn, walking the dog, and babysitting aren't weekend chores—they're just items on your robot's to-do list.
Speaking at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh in May, Musk predicted that personal robots will become as common as smartphones. "I think we're headed to a radically different world. I think a good world, an interesting world," he told the crowd. "Everyone will want to have their personal robot."
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The Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO, whose company debuted its first prototype of the humanoid Optimus robot in 2022, likened the vision to owning "your own personal C-3PO or R2-D2 but even better."
From Sci-Fi Dreams to Economic Engines
Musk didn't just pitch the idea as convenient—he framed it as transformative. "Having personal robots unlocks an immense amount of economic potential," he said, estimating the impact could make the global economy "blossom by tenfold."
But he also admitted the path could turn dystopian. "If we don't do this right, you can have a James Cameron sort of movie, you know, ‘Terminator.' We don't want that one," Musk said. "But having sort of a ‘Star Trek' future would be great."
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How Much for a Household Droid?
This isn't the first time Musk has hinted at robots becoming everyday companions. At Tesla's "We, Robot" event in California last year, he promised, "The Optimus will walk amongst you," and floated a price tag between $20,000 to $30,000—low enough, in his view, to be "something anyone could own."
The potential duties he's imagined go well beyond novelty tricks. Serving drinks, walking dogs, babysitting, mowing the lawn—Musk says these machines will be capable of handling real household work.
At the event, Musk amped up expectations, telling the crowd, "I think this will be the biggest product ever of any kind. After the presentation, livestream footage showed Optimus robots circulating among guests—though their tasks were more charming than groundbreaking. They waved like Astro Bot, held cups of ice, handed out small gift bags, and played rock-paper-scissors. In an enclosed gazebo, several bots danced in sync, offering a glimpse of the spectacle Musk envisions, even if they're not yet serving drinks or walking the dog.
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Wheels and Walking Frames
Robots aren't the only autonomous vision on Musk's mind. In Riyadh, he also described self-driving cars as "robots on four wheels," confirming Tesla hopes to launch a pilot program for its fleet of robotaxis in Austin, Texas, by June.
From "Terminator" warnings to "Star Trek" optimism, Musk's pitch boiled down to this: the personal robot era isn't decades away—it's on the horizon. Whether it shows up as a friendly lawn-mowing sidekick or a mechanical babysitter, he thinks everyone will want one.
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