Why Elon Musk Might Skip AI Day 2025 – Tesla’s New Strategy Explained

There was an interesting moment during Tesla’s second quarter 2025 earnings call when Elon Musk was asked about Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, and the possibility of hosting another Artificial Intelligence Day. The question hinted at a rumor that a major United States investment bank’s board had recently toured Optimus production. Elon did not confirm it outright but acknowledged it with a casual “that’s cool.”

What followed was a rare candid take from Elon. He explained that Tesla’s past Artificial Intelligence Day events have been helpful for recruiting, but they come with a downside. Competitors, he said, have literally gone frame by frame through Tesla’s slides and presentations, copying their work closely. It is a tough trade-off: show the world what Tesla is building to attract top talent, or stay quiet to protect their competitive edge.

Instead of doing another standalone Artificial Intelligence Day, Elon floated an alternative. He suggested that Tesla might include some deep updates on Optimus, artificial intelligence development, and chip technology during the company’s annual shareholder meeting later this year. This way, they still provide insights and progress without giving away too much too soon.

The underlying message here was clear: Tesla is pushing forward on Optimus and artificial intelligence, but they are being much more cautious about how and when they reveal their work. With so many companies now chasing artificial intelligence leadership, the pressure to attract top engineers while staying ahead in innovation has never been more intense.