‘I, Robot’ director slams Elon Musk for ripping off his designs with new line of Tesla robots

Australian filmmaker Alex Proyas has called out Elon Musk for stealing his designs for a new line of Tesla robots.

Last week, Musk and Tesla unveiled two new self-driving vehicle prototypes: the Cybercab and Robovan at an event titled We, Robot. Also present at the presentation was an autonomous robot, Optimus, that was capable of making and handing out drinks and was entertaining guests.

pic.twitter.com/VK9vlGF0Ms

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2024

Proyas caught wind of the showcase, and decided to call out Musk for all three designs – which are admittedly strikingly similar to the concepts used for his hit 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot.

On X (formerly Twitter), which is owned by Musk, Proyas shared a post comparing the designs from his film and the Tesla robots side-by-side, revealing their similarities. He wrote: “Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please?”.

Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back please? #ElonMusk #Elon_Musk pic.twitter.com/WPgxHevr6E

— Alex Proyas (@alex_proyas) October 13, 2024

Proyas isn’t the only one vocalising the similarities between designs. On social media, many users have been comparing Tesla’s new line of robotics to the iconic 2004 Will Smith film.

I, Robot – set in 2035 Chicago – the film sees a futuristic world that’s highly dependable on robotics and androids to take on public service jobs. Will Smith stars as a technologically averse detective who grows suspicious of one particular android after the alleged suicide of a founder of a robotics conglomerate.

Since the rise of AI in recent years, several actors and directors have voiced their concerns for the technology being used to create, or even replace, key human components in the film and TV industry.

Tim Burton in September last year called the use of AI “disturbing”: “I can’t describe the feeling it gives you. It reminded me of when other cultures say, ‘Don’t take my picture because it is taking away your soul.’ “What it does is it sucks something from you. It takes something from your soul or psyche; that is very disturbing, especially if it has to do with you. It’s like a robot taking your humanity, your soul.”

Earlier last year, Wes Anderson denounced AI recreations of his work: “If somebody sends me something like that I’ll immediately erase it and say, ‘Please, sorry, do not send me things of people doing me.’

Earlier this month, actor Rachel Zegler voice her concerns of being replaced by AI: “I was really scared of being replaced by an artificial intelligence version of myself that they scanned when I was 18 and then never being able to work on a set again. What was stopping them from using that for the rest of my life?” She went to say that “465 photos taken of every corner of my body” were made for CGI stunts. “It was fucking dystopian,” she added.

Her comments came after Guillermo del Toro also recently spoke out about AI, claiming it can do “semi-compelling screensavers” and “that’s essentially that”.