Hollywood director Alex Proyas, known for the 2004 sci-fi classic I, Robot, has accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of copying designs from the film for Tesla’s recent innovations.
Can I Have My Designs Back?
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Proyas directly addressed Musk, writing: “Hey Elon, can I please have my designs back?”
The director implied that the futuristic vehicles and robots Tesla recently unveiled bear a striking resemblance to the technology featured in I, Robot.
Tesla's recent announcements include two new autonomous vehicle models — the "Robotaxi" and the "Robovan." Additionally, the company introduced "Optimus," an AI-powered robot.
These innovations sparked comparisons with the robotic world depicted in I, Robot, in which Will Smith’s character navigates a futuristic society populated by intelligent robots. Proyas supported his claims by posting side-by-side images of Tesla's products and scenes from his film.
Not the First Time
While the similarities between Tesla’s designs and those in the movie are noticeable, some have pointed out that the real-world versions differ in many ways from the film’s aesthetic.
The visual elements in I, Robot were created with a futuristic look in mind, but it remains unclear whether Tesla’s engineers were directly inspired by the film. Musk has not yet responded to Proyas' accusations.
This isn’t the first time Tesla's products have been compared to science fiction. The futuristic design of Tesla’s Cybertruck, for instance, has drawn comparisons to vehicles seen in films and video games. But whether these design choices are intentional homages or coincidences, it’s difficult to say.
For now, it seems the debate over whether Musk “borrowed” from I, Robot will continue, at least until he addresses the matter publicly.
