Venture capitalist Jason Calacanis predicts Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) will produce 1 billion Optimus humanoid robots worldwide by 2036. He argues the product will generate more value than Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone.

Speaking on the This Week in Startups podcast, Calacanis stated he had recently viewed a non-public demonstration of Optimus. He claimed Tesla’s hardware is roughly "one and a half generations" ahead of competitors seen at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

Optimus vs iPhone Value Proposition

Calacanis described Optimus as potentially "the greatest product ever made by humanity." He asserted it would sell and provide more value than the iPhone. His confidence stems from observing Tesla’s superior "brain" technology compared to robots competing in Beijing.

The World Humanoid Robot Games featured more than 2,000 robots from 666 teams. Events tested skills ranging from running and tennis to factory assembly. Reuters reported that while China showed rapid progress, robots still struggled with practical tasks like plugging in cables.

Production Shifts and Scaling Challenges

Tesla is replacing its Model S and Model X production area with an Optimus line. CEO Elon Musk confirmed this shift earlier this year, ending production of both vehicles to accommodate robots. The company committed more than $20 billion to capital spending in 2026.

Tesla’s website now lists Fremont as producing Model 3, Model Y, and Optimus. Musk cautioned during the second-quarter earnings call that Optimus will be the "hardest product to scale manufacturing" due to the need for a new supply chain.

Market Skepticism and Targets

Musk has targeted 1 million robots annually from the Fremont line, with a larger Texas operation planned later. He warned that initial production would be "agonizingly slow."

Not all investors share Calacanis’ certainty. Investor Ross Gerber questioned Optimus’ near-term commercial prospects. Unitree founder Wang Xingxing suggested humanoids could still be years from their "ChatGPT moment."

What the Numbers Show

Calacanis’ projection of 1 billion units by 2036 implies massive scale relative to Musk’s target of 1 million annually. This divergence highlights the gap between long-term venture capital optimism and near-term manufacturing constraints acknowledged by Tesla leadership.

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) has increased the price of its Cybertruck electric pickup truck in the United States by up to $5,000 for select trim levels. The pricing adjustment affects the entry-level and mid-range models while leaving the top-tier variant unchanged.

Cybertruck Pricing Changes

The EV manufacturer hiked the price of the Dual-Motor AWD trim to $74,990, a 7.1% increase from its previous price of $69,990. The mid-level Premium AWD trim saw a 6.2% rise to $84,990, up from $79,990. These figures were confirmed by influencer Sawyer Merritt based on data from the company’s website on August 25, 2026.

The range-topping Cyberbeast trim remains at $99,990. Consequently, the price gap between the entry-level Dual-Motor AWD and the Cyberbeast has narrowed to approximately $25,000. Tesla did not provide an explicit reason for the timing of these adjustments.

Sales Context and Product Updates

The price hike follows the launch of an entry-level trim earlier this year at $59,990 with a 325-mile range and a towing capacity of 7,500 lbs. However, demand appears limited, with only 7,133 Cybertrucks registered in the United States through May 2026.

In June, Elon Musk highlighted upcoming software features, including Actually Smart Summon, which will allow the vehicle to navigate parking lots and drive itself to the owner via a future update.

Strategic Focus and Analyst Views

JP Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) analysts noted in an investor note that Tesla is prioritizing the Cybercab over the Model Y Robotaxi ramp-up. The bank cited management confidence in scaling Cybercab operations and developing future models based on its platform.

Conversely, Ross Gerber of Gerber Kawasaki expressed skepticism regarding Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities. He questioned whether the HW4/AI4 chips would support unsupervised FSD, noting that FSD V15 requires additional compute power despite promised improvements.

TSLA shares rose 0.78% to $351.66 in pre-market trading on Tuesday.