Key Highlights
- Shares of Tesla declined 3.57% on Monday following Sam Altman’s weekend announcement of OpenAI Robotics, a new humanoid robot division.
- The new OpenAI division targets skilled labor and infrastructure applications, creating a head-to-head rivalry with Tesla’s Optimus initiative.
- Tesla has halted Model S and Model X manufacturing to repurpose the production line for Optimus robots, with annual production goals of approximately 1 million units.
- The unveiling of Optimus Gen 3 is anticipated between late July and early August, coinciding with the completion of the Fremont facility transformation.
- Tesla’s Q1 disclosure revealed a $2 billion ownership position in SpaceX, as both companies collaborate on infrastructure projects including a Texas-based chip manufacturing facility.
Shares of Tesla (TSLA) experienced a 3.57% decline on Monday after Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, revealed during the weekend that his organization is establishing a dedicated robotics arm. The stock was positioned at $420.23 during midday trading on Monday.
Altman announced via X that OpenAI is actively recruiting talent to develop OpenAI Robotics, concentrating on hardware engineering, control systems, infrastructure, and machine learning applications for humanoid robots. His stated objective: creating robots to assist skilled laborers on infrastructure initiatives initially, with eventual expansion to personal robots for individual consumers.
This announcement directly challenges Tesla’s existing territory.
Tesla has been systematically restructuring its Fremont manufacturing operations around Optimus. The company discontinued Model S and Model X production in early May 2026 to reallocate that assembly line for humanoid robots. The facility transformation is scheduled for completion between late July and August, with Fremont establishing an annual production capacity goal of approximately 1 million units.
Elon Musk has characterized Optimus as Tesla’s pathway to achieving multitrillion-dollar market valuation. Now, prior to the robot reaching full-scale production, it faces a well-capitalized competitor with deep AI expertise.
This confrontation between Musk and Altman isn’t unprecedented. Musk previously initiated legal action against Altman regarding OpenAI’s structural transition from nonprofit to for-profit status. A jury ruled in Altman’s favor last month.
Production Schedule Faces New Challenges
Tesla currently operates several Optimus Gen 3 units within its own production facilities — Gigafactory Texas and Fremont — performing repetitive operations such as battery assembly. However, mass production has not yet commenced.
The Gen 3 public unveiling is scheduled for late July through early August, aligning with Musk’s timeline mentioned during Tesla’s Q1 earnings presentation. The equipment installation at Fremont dedicated to Optimus manufacturing was announced for Q2, with full-scale production launching later this year.
OpenAI’s market entry at this juncture creates a perception challenge for Tesla: Optimus is no longer the exclusive serious AI-powered robotics option capturing investor attention.
SpaceX Public Offering Expands Musk’s Portfolio
Musk is currently managing multiple major initiatives. SpaceX is preparing for a Nasdaq listing under ticker symbol SPCX in mid-June, pursuing a valuation between $1.75 trillion and $2 trillion while raising as much as $75 billion — potentially establishing it as the largest initial public offering ever recorded. Musk maintains approximately 42% equity ownership and 85% voting control.
Tesla revealed a $2 billion equity position in SpaceX within its Q1 regulatory filing. Both companies are collaboratively constructing a semiconductor fabrication facility in Texas, designated as Terafab, and are partnering on orbital data center development.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has assigned an 80% likelihood to a Tesla and SpaceX merger occurring in 2027.
Tesla’s Q1 filing documented the $2 billion SpaceX investment. The Fremont Optimus production line conversion is projected to conclude between late July and August.
