Elon Musk’s Tesla isn’t just about cars anymore—meet Optimus, the humanoid bot now in pilot production and destined for Mars by 2026. Musk dreams of an “army” of these machines, with 12,000 slated for 2025 alone, ready to tackle everything from factory ᴀssembly to fetching groceries. It’s a robotic takeover he predicts will outnumber humans in a decade, and he’s starting with our cosmic backyard.

The Mars mission is the real kicker. Starship will carry Optimus to the Red Planet, where it’ll build habitats in a landscape humans can’t yet survive—a test of AI in the extreme. Musk’s betting on success to greenlight crewed landings by 2029, though he admits 2031 might be safer. It’s a high-stakes gamble that could turn SpaceX into the backbone of a Martian economy, with Optimus as its tireless grunt.

Not everyone’s on board. Tesla investors worry Musk’s focus is stretched thin, and Starship’s explosive setbacks fuel doubts. Still, as Optimus prototypes multiply and Musk’s vision sharpens, his robot army isn’t just coming—it’s already here, marching toward a future that’s equal parts thrilling and terrifying.