Elon Musk Silent on Hyundai Robot at CES 2026

CES 2026 in Las Vegas has been dominated by two major themes: the evolution of AI compute and the rapid emergence of humanoid robots. While Elon Musk and Tesla are not officially exhibiting at the event, Musk has remained an active observer on the social media platform X. His engagement with specific announcements offers a rare glimpse into Tesla's strategic priorities within the autonomous technology sector.

Musk publicly acknowledged NVIDIA's significant advancements in embedded AI for autonomous systems. Conversely, he has maintained a notable silence regarding the joint presentation by Hyundai and Boston Dynamics. This divergence in reaction underscores the complex dynamics at play as competitors unveil technologies that overlap with Tesla's ambitions in both self-driving vehicles and robotics.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas has set the stage for the year's technological trajectory. The event has been characterized by a heavy focus on the infrastructure required for next-generation artificial intelligence. Alongside the compute advancements, there has been a sudden and credible explosion of humanoid robots vying for commercial viability.

Despite the high-profile nature of the event, Tesla is not officially exhibiting on the show floor. However, the company's presence is felt through the active monitoring of its CEO. The announcements made at the venue are directly influencing the conversation around the future of autonomy, drawing attention from industry leaders worldwide.

Elon Musk was prompt in acknowledging NVIDIA's major push into embedded AI. NVIDIA's announcements focused on the critical role of advanced computing power in autonomous systems, a sector where Tesla has heavily invested. Musk's willingness to comment on NVIDIA's progress suggests a recognition of the shared industry trajectory regarding the computational backbone of self-driving technology.

The interaction highlights the ongoing relationship between hardware providers and vehicle manufacturers. As NVIDIA advances its embedded AI capabilities, the ecosystem for autonomous driving becomes increasingly robust, potentially benefiting players like Tesla who rely on sophisticated processing for their Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.

In contrast to his engagement with NVIDIA, Elon Musk has been noticeably quiet regarding the collaboration between Hyundai and Boston Dynamics. The two companies presented what was described as a "masterclass" in humanoid robotics, showcasing significant strides in mobility and dexterity. This silence is particularly striking given Tesla's own development of the Optimus robot.

The lack of commentary from Musk may indicate a variety of strategic stances, ranging from competitive caution to a focus on Tesla's specific roadmap. The advancements displayed by Hyundai and Boston Dynamics represent direct competition in the emerging market for general-purpose humanoid robots, a field Tesla aims to lead.

The divergent reactions from Musk at CES 2026 provide a fascinating look into how Tesla views the rapidly crowding field of autonomy. By engaging with NVIDIA, Tesla aligns itself with the hardware evolution necessary for self-driving cars. By ignoring the Hyundai and Boston Dynamics showcase, Tesla may be signaling that its approach to robotics is distinct or that it views the competition as secondary to its current goals.

Ultimately, the events in Las Vegas demonstrate that the race for autonomy is heating up across multiple fronts. Whether through compute power or physical robotics, the industry is moving fast, and industry leaders are carefully curating their public responses to these shifts.