“Internet Responds: Director of ‘I, Robot’ Accuses Elon Musk of Design Theft, Sparking Picture Hunt”

Director Alex Proyas, known for the film I, Robot, recently made headlines with allegations against Elon Musk, claiming the billionaire has appropriated his robot designs. Proyas took to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, October 13, to facetiously request the return of his designs.

“Hey Elon, can I please have my designs back?,”Proyas posted.

On October 10, Musk revealed Tesla’s latest autonomous vehicle prototypes, including the Cybercab, Robovan, and the Tesla robot named Optimus. Proyas shared images comparing scenes from his film with visuals from Musk’s presentation.

The reaction from social media was largely critical of Proyas’ tweet. One X user, @thevivafrei, suggested that it wouldn’t be long before someone unearthed older images of similar designs, possibly accusing Proyas of being the one who copied.

Netizens criticized the director (Image via X/@alex_proyas)

Many users echoed sentiments that Proyas’ stance was rather peculiar, with some suggesting he should take pride in the fact that Musk had turned a CGI concept into a tangible reality. Others even expressed that Musk’s overall design was superior.

“This is a weird take. You feel inspired by the future but are trying to criticize the person who made it real. That’s some serious small-minded energy,”noted one user.

“Be proud. What you created using CGI, @elonmusk turned into a real-world object,”added another commenter.

“You just designed some graphics on a computer. Elon brought it to life,”wrote another user.

“1. Tesla’s designs are cleaner and superior 2. Execution is key in the real world; ideas are plentiful,”declared a different user.

Several users pointed out that various robot designs had existed well before I, Robot, and others remarked that Proyas did not invent the human form that influenced these designs.

“Excuse me *clears throat* The iconic humanoid robot from Metropolis, Art Deco style trains, and the classic 1939 Duesenberg would like to speak,”commented one user.

“So you claim credit for the human form and the basic shapes of buses and cars?”questioned another.

“Sure, because you invented humanoid robots and suicide doors… come on,”added yet another user.

Elon Musk’s ‘We, Robot’ Event Showcases Optimus Robots

During an event titled We, Robot, which seems to pay homage to Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot, Tesla’s Elon Musk introduced the eagerly awaited Tesla Robotaxi (Cybercab). Musk made a grand entrance in the cab equipped with gull-wing doors, lacking conventional controls such as a steering wheel or pedals.

This self-driving vehicle, slated for mass production in 2026, will be available at a price point under $30,000. Musk also presented the Robovan, designed to accommodate 20 passengers and transport goods, featuring a futuristic aesthetic with no visible wheels.

An electrifying highlight of the evening was the performance of Tesla’s new Optimus robots, which showcased a synchronized dance, engaged with attendees, played games, sang, and even served beverages. Initially, some attendees assumed that the robots operated autonomously, but this later turned out to be untrue.

Robert Scoble, an attendee, clarified on X that humans were actually “remotely assisting”the robots during the event, stating that they relied on AI support for movement. Analyst Adam Jonas from Morgan Stanley noted in a company report that the robots operated with tele-operations (human oversight).

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