What is it like inside Tesla’s human-driven push to train the Optimus robot?

Tesla Optimus

At Tesla’s engineering headquarters, dozens of employees are spending their days repeating basic human motions — lifting cups, wiping tables, pulling curtains — all to teach Optimus, the company’s humanoid robot, how to move like a person. These workers, known internally as “data collection operators,” wear helmets equipped with five cameras and carry heavy backpacks that record their every move for eight-hour shifts.

According to a former employee who spoke to Business Insider, the experience “felt like being a lab rat under a microscope.” Tesla CEO Elon Musk occasionally visits the facility to observe progress, while investors are invited to watch live demonstrations from behind a glass wall. The end goal is to create a robot capable of performing human labour, from factory assembly to household chores.

During Tesla’s most recent quarterly earnings call, Musk called Optimus “the biggest product of all time,” projecting annual production could reach one million units. He has also suggested the robot could eventually represent 80% of Tesla’s total market value.

What Tesla workers say about training Optimus

Current and former employees describe the training process as physically intense and mentally draining. Tasks range from running and dancing to wiping surfaces or mimicking golf swings — all repeated until the robot’s AI recognises the movements as human-like. Performance reviews are frequent, and workers follow strict manuals to ensure precision.

“Tesla is very strict on how everything needs to be done. It can be very tough mentally and physically,” one employee said.

Initially, training relied on motion-capture suits, but since June, Tesla has switched to using helmet-mounted cameras and haptic gloves. The company also employs AI-driven prompts to simulate daily activities such as vacuuming or stretching. Some assignments, like crawling or removing clothing, made employees uncomfortable. The physical toll is significant, with reports of back injuries, neck strain, and motion sickness from VR headsets.

“You’d feel like you were falling because you were seeing through its eyes, but you were actually standing still,” one worker explained.

When investors visit, Optimus demonstrations are often remotely controlled to ensure smooth performance. “The investors want to see the bots moving in action,” a former worker said, describing the sessions as “theatre.” Musk is known to attend some of these events with his son. Despite the spectacle, Optimus frequently loses balance, occasionally damaging equipment, which is why a rig is often used for support.