Elon Musk told people at a Tesla meeting in November 2025 that Optimus robots could stop people from committing more crimes. He said a robot would follow a person who broke the law and make sure they do not do it again and Musk believes this could be a kinder way to handle crime.
Inspired by Robocop
Musk’s idea comes from the old movie “Robocop.” That film showed a part-human, part-robot policeman. Musk said Optimus will be fully robotic and will not blend with humans. Yet, the robot would act as a chaperone, always close by to discourage bad choices.
Musk added that robots like Optimus could make universal basic income possible. The robots might do the work people do today and help produce more goods. He thinks this could increase what people earn and let everyone live better. Tesla is already making more robots and hopes to build over a million a year soon.
“If somebody’s committed a crime, we might be able to provide a more humane form of containment of future crime.”: Video
Elon Musk: With Optimus, we might be able to stop putting people in prison.
— ELON CLIPS (@ElonClipsX) November 10, 2025
“If somebody's committed a crime, we might be able to provide a more humane form of containment of future crime. You now get a free Optimus, and it's just going to follow you around and stop you from… pic.twitter.com/Y8E2ToyNkd
Tech development and production
Tesla’s first factory for Optimus robots opened in Fremont. The target is to build one million robots there each year. More production is planned for a factory in Texas. For now, the robots can walk, move objects, and do simple jobs, but stopping crime is much harder. Engineers need more time to make Optimus smart and safe enough for that kind of work.
People worry about robots always watching someone. If a robot can follow a person everywhere, privacy could be lost. Laws may need to change for robots to monitor people like that. Some are concerned about robots making fair choices when stopping a crime. Others do not know if the technology is ready for such big jobs.
Why Musk’s pay matters in the plan
This new proposal connects to the big pay deal Musk got from Tesla shareholders. He will reach pay targets if Tesla can deliver one million Optimus robots and raise the company’s value. Both are key steps in Musk’s larger plan.
Many think America’s prisons cost too much and want better ways to treat offenders. Some like Musk’s idea but many are unsure about using robots instead of jail. How this plan will work or if people will accept constant robot oversight is still a major question.
Right now, Tesla uses Optimus to help out in car factories, moving parts and sorting. Using it in criminal justice is a big leap. Society will need to decide if having robots check people’s every move is what they want.
You may also like to read:
- Tesla adds real-time supercharger data to Google maps »
- Elon Musk says Optimus will end poverty, and deliver top medical care »
- Tesla FSD 14.3 nears “fall asleep, wake up there” autonomy »
- Tesla set to launch FSD subscription gifting this holiday »
We’ve launched an official Tesla Owners Online Forum. Join early and claim your "Founding Fuel" badge.
