Elon Musk’s declaration of a humanoid robot “army” by 2027 is more than hyperbole—it’s a blueprint for what could become one of the most transformative shifts in modern technology. Tesla’s expansion into robotics, driven by the Optimus project, has the potential to revolutionize both industrial efficiency and daily human life.

Elon Musk said China wants assurances that the rare-earth magnets needed to build Optimus will not be used for "military purposes."

Elon Musk said that China's new trade restrictions on rare earth magnets have affected the production of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots. He added that the company was working through the issue with Beijing and hoped to get approval to access the critical components.