Elon Musk’s Optimus Robot Shows Off Kung Fu Skills, Video Goes Viral

Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus,is once again in the spotlight. This time for learning Kung Fu without any human help. In a short video shared by Elon Musk on X (formerly Twitter), the robot can be seen

practicing martial arts with a trainer, showing off impressive balance, flexibility and control.

Tesla Optimus vs Humans

The short video starts with Optimus and a human trainer greeting each other before a friendly combat session. As it begins, the robot copies the trainer’s Kung Fu moves almost perfectly blocking, changing stance and moving its arms in sync. What’s most impressive is how smoothly it keeps its balance and coordination, before calmly returning to its resting pose.

When users on X asked whether the robot was being controlled remotely, Musk confirmed that Optimus was running completely on artificial intelligence (AI). No human assistance or remote control was involved.Earlier versions of Optimus needed human support for basic actions. For example, when it served popcorn at the Tesla Diner, it was later revealed that the robot was being tele-operated. But this latest video shows a major step forward -- Optimus is now learning complex movements entirely on its own.Musk has said before that Optimus can pick up new skills just by watching humans. The robot has already learned how to vacuum floors and sort objects by observing people and watching online videos, including on YouTube.Elon Musk believes Optimus will play a huge role in Tesla’s future. He recently said that nearly 80 per cent of Tesla’s value could eventually come from its robotics division. Musk also plans to ramp up production to 5,000 Optimus units by 2025.