Tesla has informed workers that it plans to start collecting data to train its Optimus humanoid robots at the Austin Gigafactory, with the program expected to begin as early as February. The move marks an expansion of Tesla’s robot training efforts, which have been underway at its Fremont, California factory for more than a year.
At Fremont, Tesla has been using dedicated data collectors who record themselves performing factory tasks such as organizing vehicle parts and working on conveyor belts. These videos are then used to train Optimus to replicate the same movements, while keeping the data collection process separate from regular production to avoid disruption.
Elon Musk said during his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Optimus is already carrying out “simple tasks” inside Tesla factories, though he did not provide details. He added that the robots are expected to take on more complex industrial work by the end of this year, with plans to eventually sell humanoid robots to the public.
As Tesla pushes closer to deploying Optimus across its manufacturing operations, the Austin facility is set to become the next key training ground in the company’s broader robotics strategy.