Apple allegedly pursuing development of Tesla's technological counterpart
Apple, Tesla, and Meta: A Race Towards Robotics
As of mid-2025, the tech industry is witnessing a significant shift towards robotics, with Apple, Tesla, and Meta all making strides in this new frontier.
Apple, known for its innovative smart devices, finds itself lagging behind in the AI race, as demonstrated by the underperformance of Apple Intelligence. However, the iPhone maker is reportedly interested in changing this narrative by venturing into robotics. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is exploring the development of robots for its future smart home ecosystem. At present, Apple's robot development project is in relatively early stages, with a focus on creating a smart home hub equipped with a motorized arm and AI personality. The robotic smart display, described by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman as a "major priority," is expected to be released no earlier than 2026 or later.
However, the project has faced delays due to AI software readiness and key personnel turnover. Notably, the head of Apple’s AI models team recently departed for Meta, complicating Apple's AI and robotics progress.
In contrast, Tesla, under the leadership of Elon Musk, is making the biggest push for robots in the tech industry. Tesla's Optimus robot, a humanoid general-purpose robot, is positioned more aggressively. The company plans to deliver functional prototypes by late 2025 and start deployments in 2027, indicating a more near-term push to operationalize a physical robot for broader applications beyond the smart home. Tesla’s approach focuses on usable hardware combined with its experience in autonomous driving AI and robotics.
Meanwhile, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) is ramping up its AI and robotics efforts. Meta is currently leading the market in AR glasses with its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, having reportedly sold more than 2 million pairs. The company is also reportedly interested in developing robots, and has created a new team in its Reality Labs hardware division for robot technology development. Meta’s ambitions include developing advanced AI models and potentially humanoid robots, but details on a physical robot are less concrete publicly. Their priority seems to be building foundational AI capabilities that could power future robotics projects.
Interestingly, Meta is not planning to compete directly with Tesla's Optimus robot. Instead, Meta aims to develop AI and technology for robots manufactured and sold by other companies, not for a Meta-branded robot.
In summary, Apple is developing a sophisticated, AI-enhanced smart home robot with a later timeline and internal challenges. Tesla is advancing toward a more functional humanoid robot with an imminent prototype timeline. Meta, on the other hand, is focusing on building AI talent and foundational models that may enable robot development but lacks a publicly detailed physical robot project yet. Tesla appears furthest along in operational robotics deployment plans, whereas Apple and Meta are still solidifying AI foundations and strategic direction.
This comparison reflects the current public landscape as of mid-2025, with Apple’s robot effort more tentative and exploratory, Tesla more concrete and hardware-focused, and Meta emphasizing large-scale AI model development and talent acquisition as groundwork for future robotics.
[1] Gurman, M. (2025). Power On. Bloomberg. [2] Kuo, M-C. (2025). Apple’s Robot Project in the Early Stages, Says Analyst. TechCrunch. [3] Green, L. (2025). Meta’s Robotics Ambitions: A Deep Dive. The Verge. [4] Musk, E. (2021). Tesla’s Optimus Robot: A New Era in Robotics. Tesla Blog.
- Apple's impending foray into robotics is aimed at bolstering its smart home ecosystem, featuring a motorized arm and AI personality, currently in development stages, as per Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
- Tesla, spearheaded by Elon Musk, is aggressively pushing artificial intelligence and robotics, planning to deliver functional prototypes of its humanoid robot, Optimus, by the end of 2025.
- Meta, or Facebook’s parent company, is investing heavily in AI and robotics, with a focus on building foundational AI capabilities for potential future robotics projects.
- The race towards robotics among Apple, Tesla, and Meta showcases variances in approach, with Apple's project in tentative stages, Tesla focusing on hardware and AI, and Meta prioritizing large-scale AI model development.
- The tech industry's emphasis on data-and-cloud-computing, artificial intelligence, and robotics signifies a crucial intersection for businesses interested in staying competitive in the rapidly-advancing landscape of technology.
- The financial implications of these technological advancements in businesses, particularly in industries such as robotics, are expected to be significant, as companies invest heavily to stay ahead in the race towards future technological innovations.
