Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of X, SpaceX, Tesla, and Starlink, recently hosted Abdulla Mohammed Butti Alhamed, Chairman of the UAE’s National Media Office, at Tesla’s Engineering Headquarters in Palo Alto, California. During their visit, the two explored Tesla’s Optimus Lab, where they had the opportunity to view a gold version of the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus.
Describing Musk as a forward-thinker who envisions the future before others can even imagine it, Alhamed shared insights from their discussion about artificial intelligence as a driving force for humanity’s future. Musk expressed confidence in the UAE’s capabilities to play a leading role in the global AI landscape, commending the country’s leadership vision and investments in advanced technology.
A focal point of their conversation revolved around Tesla’s Optimus robot, a product that Musk has deemed crucial in the company’s history. Optimus serves as a central component of Tesla’s Master Plan Part 4, which outlines a vision for “sustainable abundance” driven by robotics, autonomy, and AI. Musk has previously stated that Optimus could potentially hold more value than Tesla’s automotive business, with the latest iteration, Optimus V3, now ready for mass production.
The duo also discussed Grok 5, the upcoming version of the large language model developed by Musk’s AI startup, xAI. Musk described Grok 5 as a system designed to be inquisitive, adaptive, and capable of addressing some of humanity’s most complex challenges, positioning it as a true partner in shaping the future.
Their dialogue extended to potential collaborations between the UAE and Musk’s companies, exploring joint ventures in AI, sustainability, media, and education. Alhamed highlighted the UAE’s commitment to forming global partnerships that leverage advanced technologies to propel human progress forward.
As Tesla progresses towards scaling Optimus for production and Musk continues to advance AI developments at xAI, the meeting highlighted the shared belief that robotics and digital intelligence will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of work, industry, and society. The convergence of their expertise and vision sets the stage for innovative advancements that could redefine the landscape of technology and innovation.