Report: Tesla factory workers reluctant to train Optimus

Ars Technica reported on Sept. 25, 2026, that Tesla employees are reluctant to train Optimus humanoid robots as “replacement workers.”

Tesla’s humanoid robots may face friction not only in mass production and design, but also in on-site training. If the report is accurate, deployment of humanoid robots will depend not only on the robots’ capabilities but also on how workplaces are prepared to accept and operate them.

What is new here is that, as Tesla advances the deployment of Optimus, operational questions about who will perform on-site training are coming to the fore alongside the robot’s capabilities. However, this is a report by Ars Technica, not an official announcement, so readers should consult the original source for details. Related articles from this newspaper have examined Tesla’s humanoid robot production and supply chain in China, as well as comparisons of the design philosophies behind Optimus. Against that backdrop, this report suggests that training and acceptance processes at deployment sites could become bottlenecks alongside mass production and robot design. The issues of design and production covered in Tesla’s humanoid robot production and supply chain in China and Hyundai’s Atlas and Tesla’s Optimus reportedly differ in the number of fingers are joined here by human-performed training as another potential constraint. The broader industry implication is that competition in humanoid robots is not determined by robot capabilities alone; it also involves securing the personnel needed for training, establishing work procedures and designing for acceptance at deployment sites. As reports about Tesla’s robotaxis and robotics continue, the processes between product announcements and real-world operations are likely to draw attention. One unresolved question is whether employees’ reluctance is specific to individual workplaces or reflects a broader problem with Optimus’ training system.