Hollywood director Alex Proyas has openly accused Elon Musk of design appropriation in a recent social media post.
- Proyas pointed out striking similarities between Tesla’s new products and his 2004 film ‘I, Robot’.
- The Tesla Optimus robot and Cybercab were compared to designs from ‘I, Robot’, sparking online debate.
- Fans noted the resemblance of the Cybercab to vehicles featured in the 2004 sci-fi film.
- Musk’s admiration for Asimov’s work complicates the interpretation of these design similarities.
In a recent post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Hollywood director Alex Proyas accused Elon Musk of lifting design elements from his 2004 film ‘I, Robot’. Proyas posted comparative images showing the uncanny resemblance between Tesla’s latest technological innovations—the Optimus robot and Cybercab—and the aesthetics of the film’s robots and vehicles.
Proyas humorously captioned the visuals, asking, “Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please?” This comment was made in light of Tesla’s newly announced $30,000 two-seater Cybercab featuring futuristic butterfly-wing doors and no steering wheel, which Proyas argues are conspicuously similar to the autonomous vehicles depicted in ‘I, Robot’. The narrative of the film, based on Isaac Asimov’s 1950 book, revolves around a dystopian future where robots serve humans yet harbour the potential for uprising.
Tesla’s Cybercab is anticipated to commence mass production in the coming years, complementing an updated version of the Tesla Optimus bipedal humanoid robot. Proyas hinted at the likeness of the Optimus to the film’s ‘NS-5’ robots known for their eventual rebellion against human control. However, the discourse surrounding these accusations is nuanced by the fact that the vehicle driven by Will Smith’s character was originally based on an Audi concept car, introducing a layer of complexity to the imitation claims.
The thematic interplay between Tesla’s conceptual work and ‘I, Robot’ extends beyond aesthetics. The film’s exploration of technology, artificial intelligence, and potential human domination parallels Musk’s well-documented cautionary stance on unregulated AI development. Musk, inspired by Asimov, aptly named the Tesla unveiling event as ‘We, Robot’, paying tribute to the influential author, further blurring the lines between homage and imitation.
While Proyas’s comments have sparked spirited discussions on digital platforms, interpretations vary on whether the similarities are deliberate tributes or coincidental convergences. Proyas, who directed other noted sci-fi productions such as ‘The Crow’, remains curious if Tesla’s design approach nods to his cinematic work or if it merely reflects broader trends of art influencing practical innovation.
The unfolding debate underscores the enduring impact of science fiction on technological creativity and the blurred boundaries between inspiration and imitation.
