On October 10, 2024, the futuristic collided with the casual at the highly anticipated We, Robot event, hosted by none other than Elon Musk. The star of the evening was Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus Gen 2: sleek, modern, and built for seamless day-to-day tasks. From watering the flowers to serving drinks, Optimus showed it could deliver and just how far Tesla has come with robotics.
The atmosphere was electric, with an undercurrent light-heartedness as tech enthusiasts socialized with robots, sipping drinks and casually chit-chatting with these mechanical marvels. One such interaction that stole the show was a spontaneous conversation between rapper 2 Chainz and Optimus. Known for his playful personality, 2 Chainz approached the robot with curiosity and humor, sparking a dialogue that quickly went viral.
What’s good, bro?” 2 Chainz said, greeting Optimus, whose head rotated toward him in a fluid, mechanical motion. “How you doing?“ he asked, to which the robot responded, rather human-like, “I’m doing good.” Setting the tone for the rest of their chat, the rapper – never short on a quick quip – took it to the next level by asking, “Can you play basketball? Can you shoot jump shots?“
Without missing a beat, Optimus replied, “Maybe someday I’ll teach you.” The crowd erupted in laughter at how seamlessly the robot could deliver humor. It was Optimus here, really delivering into view Tesla’s vision for the creation of robots that do not simply perform tasks but can also interact with people on a personal basis.
But 2 Chainz wasn’t complete. He took the interaction further, joking how Optimus needed an outfit from Balenciaga. “I got an outfit for you,” 2 Chainz joked. Optimus enthusiastically responded, “Awesome. That’s cool.” By the end of the conversation, 2 Chainz was half-serious, placing the order for the robot. “I’m gonna order you, and I’ll see you in another couple of months.“
However, the exchange was more than amusing; it demonstrated Tesla’s efforts to make its robots friendly and integrate them into daily life. Elon Musk has long envisioned a future in which such humanoid robots also perform house chores, babysitting, and even walking dogs. The robots should be publicly available at an estimated $20,000-$30,000 and give a feel for what the future might look like with robots among us.
The attendees ranged from ‘unbelieving’ to laughing in trusteeship.
“It felt surreal, just watching 2 Chainz having a full-on chat with a robot, like it was nothing outside of ordinary life,”
said one in attendance. A casual discussion showed that Tesla wants to break the ice and make these robots approachable and relatable while the technology is undoubtedly state-of-the-art.
In case you weren’t able to attend the event, you can watch the entire event video below..
