The director of I, Robot had some pointed remarks for Elon Musk following Musk’s presentation of Tesla’s upcoming projects at the “We, Robot” event last week.
On October 10, Musk hosted the event at Warner Bros. Studios in California, where he introduced Tesla’s new self-driving Cybercab, Robovan, and humanoid Optimus robots.
While reactions to the event were mixed, many on social media noted the striking resemblance between Musk’s designs and the robots from the 2004 film I, Robot, which stars Will Smith and portrays a future where robots serve the public while following strict laws to protect humans. Observers quickly drew parallels between the movie’s robots and Tesla’s new creations.
One Twitter user pointed out, “The Elon Musk Tesla self-driving Robotaxi, Optimus humanoid Robot, and Tesla Robo electric bus look exactly like a movie I watched some time ago,” sharing side-by-side comparisons of Tesla’s products and scenes from I, Robot.
Director Alex Proyas seemed to agree with this comparison, tweeting, “Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back, please?” alongside more side-by-side images.
Some social media users supported Proyas, with one Reddit commenter noting that the Tesla van looked “just like the robot transport that attacked Will Smith in the tunnel.” Another Twitter user criticized the lack of originality at the Tesla event, saying, “The resemblance to sci-fi movies is obvious.”
However, others defended Musk, with one Twitter user responding, “Imagine thinking you invented the wheel because you once drew a circle.”
At the “We, Robot” event, Musk introduced the Optimus robots, comparing them to “your own personal R2-D2 [or] C-3PO” and describing their wide range of uses, from teaching and babysitting to lawn care and companionship.
“I think this will be the biggest product ever,” Musk said. “I think everyone will want their own Optimus buddy, maybe even two.”
According to The Wrap, the robots are expected to be priced between $20,000 and $30,000.