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Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and CEO of Tesla, recently stated that Tesla may begin selling its humanoid robot, “Optimus,” to the public by the end of next year.

Speaking on Thursday (January 22) at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Musk noted that Tesla(TSLA) is already utilizing some Optimus units in its factories to perform simple tasks. He predicted that by the end of 2026, these robots will be capable of “completing more complex work.“

Musk emphasized that Tesla will only officially launch the product to the public once it is “convinced that the product possesses extremely high reliability, exceptional safety, and a very broad range of functions.”

These latest remarks provide a more definitive timeline for this future business line. While Musk has frequently touted the massive potential of Optimus, his previous statements regarding production pace and targets had remained relatively vague. During an earnings call in January 2025, he offered a “very rough guess” that Tesla would begin delivering Optimus robots to other companies in the second half of 2026.

Key Highlights from the Conversation with Larry Fink

In a dialogue with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Musk touched upon several topics, including space-based data centers, robotaxis, and power supply bottlenecks. His key points included:

Robot Proliferation: He expects robot production to meet all human needs, predicting there will eventually be “billions” of humanoid robots. These robots will also be capable of performing caregiving tasks.
AI Costs and Constraints: The cost of AI is plummeting and will become extremely low. However, the limiting factor for AI deployment is electricity supply. AI chip production will soon exceed the amount of power available to support their operation.
SpaceX and Solar Energy: In a few years, SpaceX will launch solar-powered AI satellites. Musk criticized high U.S. solar tariffs for artificially inflating the economic cost of deployment. SpaceX and Tesla are scaling solar production with a target of 100GW per year.
Autonomous Driving: Robotaxi services will become “very, very widespread” within the U.S. by the end of this year. He also hopes to secure approval for Full Self-Driving (FSD) in Europe by next month.
Starship and Space AI: Musk aims to prove the full reusability of Starship this year. He also noted that the cheapest place to deploy AI is in space, calling space-based solar AI data centers an “obvious choice.”
Intelligence Forecast: He predicts that by 2030, AI will be smarter than all of humanity combined.

Strategic Pivot and Historical Context

Tesla has now positioned humanoid robots as a core pillar of its future development, alongside AI and autonomous driving technology. Musk has previously suggested that Tesla’s future will increasingly depend on these robots.

In contrast, Tesla’s traditional core business—electric vehicle sales—is under pressure due to a lack of fresh product lines and the phase-out of U.S. EV subsidies, resulting in two consecutive years of declining deliveries. Earlier this week, Musk warned that the initial mass production of Optimus and the Cybercab (robotaxi) would be “exceptionally slow and agonizing.“

Notably, Musk’s appearance at Davos was a surprise, as he was added to the Thursday agenda at the last minute. The billionaire has frequently criticized the forum in the past, calling the annual gathering of global elites “boring” and slamming the World Economic Forum (WEF) as increasingly resembling an “unelected world government that people didn’t ask for and don’t want.”

In 2022, he famously posted on social media: “What even is the WEF / Davos? Are they trying to be the boss of Earth?”

Donald Trump’s stance on the Greenland issue has undergone a sharp reversal, shifting rapidly from threats of military intervention and economic sanctions to a NATO-brokered “diplomatic compromise.” This sudden 180-degree turn has temporarily averted an imminent transatlantic trade war but has left European leaders bewildered and unsettled by the sheer unpredictability of his policies.

On January 21, local time, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that following his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, they had reached an agreement on a framework for future cooperation regarding Greenland and the entire Arctic region. Trump announced that he would not implement the tariff measures against Europe originally scheduled to take effect on February 1. While the specifics of the agreement remain unclear, the statement marks a stunning turning point in the ongoing controversy over Trump’s insistence on acquiring Greenland for the United States.

This unexpected move disrupted the agenda of an emergency summit of EU leaders planned in Brussels. The meeting was originally intended to build a united front against Trump’s “economic coercion” and his ambitions toward European territory. Although the immediate risk of tariffs has been lifted, it has not entirely dispelled market concerns. EU officials noted that Trump’s seemingly flexible strategy could actually jeopardize EU unity and raised serious doubts about the credibility of U.S. commitments.

Europe’s Confusion and Trust Deficit

The core of this reversal lies in shifting the focus from simple territorial acquisition to security cooperation.

Trump described the Greenland framework in media interviews as a “concept of a deal” and suggested it involves U.S. mineral extraction rights in Greenland, as well as plans for the deployment of the “Golden Dome” missile defense system. When asked for more details on the proposal, Trump stated: “It’s a little bit complex; we’ll explain it down the line.”

While the removal of the tariff threat brought a sigh of relief to the markets, Trump’s volatility has left European capitals at a loss. Three EU officials revealed that this sudden development upended summit plans designed to counter Trump’s “desire to conquer European territory.” The central question now is: How long can the U.S. President’s promise last?

An official involved in the summit preparations stated bluntly: “He [Trump] is acting more flexibly, which is dangerous for EU unity because he is clearly catering to the differing perspectives among member states.” This strategy exacerbates conflicts between competing national interests within the EU, whether regarding trade, the issue of Ukraine, or transatlantic alliance relations.

Skepticism remains widespread within the EU, with many believing that Trump’s shift toward a diplomatic solution may not be permanent. “He is clearly mentally unstable,” one official remarked. “He could come back tomorrow and decide to impose tariffs on every EU country, or decide that he actually can use force to invade. I hope [EU leaders] don’t fall for it.”

Denmark’s Red Line and Pragmatic Negotiations

Denmark and Greenland have cautiously welcomed the de-escalation while reiterating their core positions. Since Trump first expressed interest in a purchase in 2019, Denmark has been explicit: the territory is not for sale.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, following a brief communication with Rutte, insisted: “U.S. ownership of Greenland is an impossibility. That is a red line.”

However, Rasmussen also signaled a willingness to negotiate, stating that Denmark is prepared to engage in talks regarding U.S. security concerns along the lines agreed upon last week with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Despite this, Danish left-wing lawmaker Pelle Dragsted issued a warning: “This is not something we can negotiate. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders; you cannot buy and sell people and countries.”