Musk says Tesla's humanoid robot could outperform top surgeons within three years

Tesla CEO, Elon Musk/ Yonhap-AP
SEOUL, January 10 (AJP) - Tesla CEO Elon Musk said humanoid robots could surpass the world’s best human surgeons within three years, arguing that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics will transform healthcare faster than many expect.

Musk made the remarks on the “Moonshots” podcast hosted by U.S. physician and engineer Peter Diamandis, outlining his vision for Tesla’s Optimus robot and the future of medical care.

“Right now there’s a shortage of doctors and great surgeons,” Musk said. “It takes a super long time to learn how to be a good doctor, and even then, the knowledge is constantly evolving. Doctors have limited time, they make mistakes.”

Asked when Optimus could outperform the best surgeons, Musk replied: “Three years. And by the way, that’s three years at scale. There will probably be more Optimus robots that are great surgeons than there are all surgeons on Earth.”

The SpaceX founder said the pace of development in humanoid robots should be viewed through what he called “exponential growth” in three areas — AI software capability, AI chip performance and mechanical precision — adding that Optimus could eventually become capable of performing complex procedures more consistently than humans.

Some medical experts, however, have questioned Musk’s timeline. Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, told The Independent that the claim that robots could outperform the best human surgeons within three years was “not credible,” citing the complexity of surgery and the difficulty of programming for human variability.

Musk’s comments have also sparked debate on social media, where users have clashed over the implications of his remarks. While some expressed concern about the future of medical professions and patient safety, others questioned the credibility of Musk’s predictions, arguing that expectations for humanoid robots are running ahead of current technological reality.

The Tesla CEO has previously said Optimus could enter commercial production in 2026, positioning humanoid robots as a central pillar of the company’s long-term strategy alongside electric vehicles and artificial intelligence.