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Tesla AI Day News Roundup: Optimus, FSD Beta & Dojo updates
Tesla AI Day has officially kicked off. Guests have started entering the venue already.
AI Day is an event mainly held to recruit talented people and welcome them to Tesla. However, it is still a Tesla event, so everyone expects some product surprises and updates, specifically about the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus, Dojo, and Full Self-Driving.
Teslarati will be closely following the event. This is our news roundup for 2022 AI Day, covering key information Tesla reveals at the event.
Photos and Videos aren’t allowed during the event from attendees. However, guests were able to capture some cool photos of a Tesla Semi with Cybertruck graffiti, a literal fork on the road, and some other cool set ups around the premises.
Tesla’s former AI Head, Andrej Karpathy, has brought out the (metaphorical) popcorn. His brief “comment” hints that AI Day 2022 might be as exciting as everyone anticipates.
Elon Musk set some expectations about Optimus, reminding everyone that during AI Day 2021, Tesla’s humanoid bot was just “a guy in a robot suit.” Musk also laid out the topics for AI Day 2022, saying that Tesla will talk about Autopilot and Dojo, too.
Optimus Takes the Stage
Tesla didn’t waste any time and brought out Optimus immediately. According to a Tesla mechanical engineer, AI Day 2022 is the first time Optimus has been “let out”– so to speak– without any external support.
“This is literally the first time the robot has walked on stage without a tether, on stage tonight,” Musk added. “The robot can actually do a lot more than we showed you. We just don’t want it to fall on its face.”
Tesla reveals videos of Optimus or in this case “Bumble-Cee” doing “work” around the Tesla office. Optimus carried a box from one area to another, watered plants, and even worked at the factory for a bit. The Tesla bot’s vision is very similar Autopilot.
Tesla also revealed Optimus’ potential final unit one production design. “Our goal is to make a useful humanoid robot as soon as possible,” said Elon Musk. The Tesla CEO also shared that Tesla aims to make Optimus’ price less than $20,000 or cheaper than a car.
Tesla is using some of the technology in its car in Optimus’ body as well, such as the battery pack, cooling system and more. The company also uses that same technology it uses for its cars to simulate Optimus’ movements and reactions to external collisions.
Tesla is basing Optimus’ body design on the human body. The company has been closely studying the structure of the human body while making the humanoid robot’s overall design. For instance, Tesla designed Optimus’ hands with the idea that factories worldwide are designed ergonomically, or optimized for the human hand. Teslarati briefly covered the significance of robots’ hands in a previous article, linked below.
FSD Beta Updates
The Tesla FSD Beta now has 160,000 customers, compared to 2,000 customers in 2021. Tesla is expected to release v.10.69.2.3 after AI Day, although a precise roll out date has not be announced yet.
Tesla explained the progress its made with Full Self-Driving Beta. The Tesla FSD experts explained how the Full Self-Driving makes decision to AI day guests and the role that customer data played to refine the software. The company also explained occupancy and the role it plays with 3D mapping and providing a birds-eye-view for the car. Tesla is working hard to optimize its video model training as well.
Tesla also talked a lot about its FSD Lane Networks during AI Day 2022. In the past few weeks, Teslarati has received reports from FSD testers, who specifically brought up issues with lane selection. To see “under the hood”–so to speak–somewhat explains the lane issues FSD testers experience on the road.
After multiple test loops and drives, there’s really just one main problem remaining for me at this point on 10.69.2, it’s significant, and that is lane selection,” noted long-time FSD tester Les.
Tesla has developed a new auto-labeling machine to help with 3D labeling. The FSD experts explained how the software uses other clips to fill out the picture under certain conditions when the camera shows an unclear picture.
Tesla also talked a bit about simulation. The experts showed how it could simulate worlds or environments, using the data gathered from its fleet. It revealed a simulation of San Francisco that was created within two weeks by one employee. Tesla may update a simulated world quickly and as updated develop.
Dojo Updates
Tesla’s goal with Dojo is to build a single accelerator. A key step to realizing its goals was its training tile, which it unveiled during AI Day 2021. Tesla has been trying to figure out how to make its Dojo design scalable and has run into challenges along the way. However, the company’s “fail fast” mindset has helped it push through road blocks and move forward.
The Dojo team showed images of a Cybertruck and Semi running on Mars using stable diffusion achieved through Dojo.
Tesla experts explained that Dojo reduced work that would usually take months to a single week.
Tesla plans to build its first Exapod by 2023, which is expected to significantly increase its autolabeling output . It will be the first Exapod of 7 that Tesla plans to build in Palo Alto.
Tesla ended AI Day 2022 by answering questions from attendees. Tesla hopes that through their thorough explanations during the event, the company would be seen as more than an automaker. And, of course, Tesla hopes that its AI Day 2022 presentation also entices talented individuals to join the company.
The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.
SpaceX has achieved an incredible milestone by launching its 11,000th Starlink satellite into orbit.
This accomplishment occurred during the Starlink Group 17-50 mission, which lifted off on August 19 at 04:01 UTC from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Falcon 9 launches 24 @Starlink satellites from California pic.twitter.com/UscpmAxDls
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 19, 2026
A Falcon 9 rocket carried 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites on this flight, successfully deploying them into low Earth orbit approximately one hour after liftoff. The first stage booster, identified as B1097 on its twelfth flight, landed successfully on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.
According to tracking data compiled around that date, this deployment brought the total number of Starlink satellites in orbit to just over 11,000.
The Starlink program began with test satellites known as Tintin A and B, launched on February 22, 2018. The first operational batch of 60 Starlink satellites followed on May 24, 2019, when a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral. Those initial satellites marked the start of a rapid expansion that has continued for more than seven years.
SpaceX has conducted hundreds of dedicated Starlink missions since then, routinely launching batches of 20 to 30 satellites at a time using reusable Falcon 9 rockets. By mid-2026, the company had already surpassed 12,000 total satellites launched across all versions, with continuous replacements for units that deorbit as designed to manage space debris.
Looking ahead, SpaceX continues to expand the Starlink constellation to enhance global broadband coverage, capacity, and speed. The network already serves millions of users across more than 160 countries and supports applications ranging from residential internet to maritime, aviation, and emergency services.
Future plans center on next-generation hardware, including larger V3 satellites capable of delivering substantially higher throughput, which require the increased payload capacity of the Starship vehicle currently under development and testing.
In July, SpaceX submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission seeking authority for a Gen3 constellation of up to 100,000 satellites. These spacecraft would operate in very low Earth orbit shells at altitudes near 325 kilometers and 475 kilometers. The filing requests use of existing Ku, Ka, V, and E band spectrum along with new greenfield W and D band frequencies between 92 and 275 GHz.
SpaceX states that the expanded system aims to deliver multi-gigabit symmetrical broadband to consumers, enterprises, governments, and billions of AI-powered devices worldwide while handling a majority of global internet traffic. Approval and subsequent deployment would depend on regulatory review and the operational readiness of Starship for high-volume launches.
This ambitious scale reflects SpaceX’s ongoing commitment to providing ubiquitous high-speed connectivity from space.
Tesla has opened a new sweepstakes to allow the public to be among the first to take an initial ride in a Cybercab. This all-electric, steering-wheel-less, pedal-less vehicle is the centerpiece of the company’s autonomous ride-hailing platform, Robotaxi.
There are two ways Tesla fans can get to Austin to take part in the first public rides of the Cybercab: by riding on the Robotaxi platform by August 23, or by mailing a very specific entry to their Headquarters at Gigafactory Texas.
Tesla announced the latter portion of the sweepstakes last night:
🚨 Want to win a trip to Austin to ride in one of the first Cybercab rides ever?
Here’s how:
Tesla has opened up a new sweepstakes to ride in a Cybercab upon its public launch. Here’s the details.
There are two methods of entry into the sweepstakes, and they are as follows:… pic.twitter.com/iJRd4evuWo
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 19, 2026
Tesla will give one entry into the sweepstakes if you mail a 3″ by 5″ piece of paper with your full name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and date of birth to their address:
Tesla, Robotaxi Sweeps Event
1 Tesla Road,
Austin, TX 78725
There is a limit of one entry per stamped envelope. You can send as many as you’d like, but they must be in separate envelopes.
The company’s unique strategy to give people the opportunity to ride in a Cybercab before pretty much anyone else outside of the company is a hilarious but spot-on representation of how Tesla operates. In classic fashion, they had the perfect response to the event:
— Tesla (@Tesla) August 19, 2026
Cybercab will launch later this month, it appears, especially as it plans to announce the winners of the sweepstakes on August 25. The car has already been operating internally, as employees have been able to utilize the Cybercab for rides in some capacity, something it announced earlier this month.
Tesla weirdly confirms Cybercab employee rides, a huge milestone
Moving forward, the big goal is to get Cybercab out on the roads and integrated into the public Robotaxi fleet, one that will pick up real-world ride-hailers and give them a ride from Point A to Point B.
No matter which way you cut it, it appears Tesla is close to putting a vehicle with no steering wheel and no pedals on the road to help people travel autonomously.
You can ride along with us in our first Cybercab ride from the We, Robot event in October 2024. The video is embedded below:
🎥: Our FULL first ride in the @Tesla Cybercab pic.twitter.com/6gR7OgKRCz
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 11, 2024
Tesla has revealed plans through permit submissions for a massive Robotaxi charging hub in Austin, Texas.
Tesla plans to build the Supercharger hub in multiple phases, with the second phase potentially introducing wireless induction charging, something the company has been developing for the Robotaxi fleet.
Initially, 48 Tesla Robotaxi-geared Superchargers will be built on a lot just across from the St. Elmo, Texas, Service Center. There are about 80 additional spots that will not be impacted by phase 1 of the construction process.
Filings show that the second phase of the project will turn those 80 additional spots into wireless charging for Robotaxi, but it might be an error. The Key Notes state that item 3 is listed as “V4 Charging Cabinet to Support 80 Wireless Chargers in Phase 2. However, the drawings point to V3 Cabinets that are already tied to Superchargers:
There are roughly 128 total spots in the lot, but it is unclear if they will all be used for charging based on what appears to be some sort of typo in the blueprint.
A new Robotaxi fleet charging hub is coming soon to Austin, Texas!!
Permits have been filed for the installation of 48 (V3) stalls in a vehicle storage lot across the road from Tesla’s St Elmo service center. pic.twitter.com/xwRgSWDqht
— MarcoRP (@MarcoRPi1) August 18, 2026
This is among the first Robotaxi charging hubs Tesla has started to develop, as it currently has four others planned throughout various areas: one in Phoenix, one in San Antonio, another in Irving, which will serve the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and another in Las Vegas.
These projects are necessary as Tesla expands its Robotaxi program. Now that preparations have started for the public launch of Cybercab, Robotaxi will likely be expanding aggressively, especially over the next two to three years.
Last night, The Information reported that Tesla was planning to launch Cybercab as soon as the end of August. Hours later, Tesla then announced it was launching a competition for fans to potentially ride in Cybercab during its first public rides.
Tesla’s plan to expand its charging infrastructure in the regions where Robotaxi will initially operate is great preparation for the expanding service. There is still a lot to do, including launching the Cybercab on time.
SpaceX achieves incredible milestone with Starlink program
Tesla is opening Cybercab rides to a select few
