Ross Gerber Questions Tesla's Optimus Bet: 'There's No Revenue Coming Anytime Soon'

Tesla shares fell as much as 12% after its second-quarter earnings, with the article focused on investor Ross Gerber’s skepticism about the company’s Optimus humanoid robot strategy. Gerber argued that humanoid robots are technically difficult to build, especially in areas like hands, feet and eyes, and said Tesla is spending heavily on a long-dated opportunity with no meaningful revenue in the near term. He suggested wheeled or industrial robots are more practical than humanoid machines designed to walk like people. The piece contrasts this bearish near-term view with Tesla’s continued commitment to Optimus, including factory space conversion in Fremont and Elon Musk’s framing of the robot as Tesla’s biggest product. Wall Street projections cited in the article show long-term optimism for the humanoid robotics market, but the immediate market takeaway is increased pressure on Tesla shares and renewed debate over whether Optimus is a credible growth driver or an expensive “story stock” narrative.