Tesla Optimus and Agility Robotics Digit represent two fundamentally different visions for the future of humanoid robots. As of January 2026, both have made dramatic progress — Tesla has deployed over 1,000 Optimus units inside its own factories and is preparing external sales, while Agility Robotics is shipping Digit fleets to Amazon, GXO Logistics, and other enterprise customers from its dedicated RoboFab manufacturing facility. This comprehensive comparison covers specs, design philosophy, real-world performance, pricing, and which robot is best positioned to dominate the next decade of commercial robotics.
Key Takeaways
- Tesla Optimus targets mass production at ~$30,000 per unit, leveraging Tesla's AI stack and vertical integration. Over 1,000 units are working inside Tesla factories as of late 2025.
- Agility Digit is the first commercially deployed humanoid robot, already operating in Amazon and GXO warehouses. Its RoboFab facility can produce 10,000+ units per year.
- Optimus excels in AI-driven general-purpose autonomy; Digit excels in purpose-built logistics manipulation with proven commercial traction.
- Both robots are expected to see significant production scaling in 2026, making this the pivotal year for the humanoid robotics industry.
Tesla Optimus vs Agility Digit: Full Specs Comparison
The following table breaks down the core technical specifications of both robots side by side:
Design and Engineering: Two Philosophies
Tesla Optimus: Vertical Integration and AI-First Design
Tesla's approach to Optimus mirrors its vehicle strategy: vertical integration, aggressive cost reduction, and AI as the core differentiator. Every major component — actuators, battery pack, control electronics, and the neural network inference chip — is designed in-house. This gives Tesla complete control over the bill of materials and, critically, the ability to push over-the-air software updates to deployed units.
The evolution has been rapid. The 2022 prototype ("Bumble C") could barely walk. The Gen 2 (December 2023) showcased smooth bipedal locomotion, dancing, and egg handling with 11-DOF hands. By 2024, the Gen 3 hands doubled to 22 degrees of freedom, enabling significantly more dexterous manipulation — picking up thin objects, turning knobs, and handling irregular shapes.
Structurally, Optimus uses a combination of cast aluminum and engineering plastics, with Tesla-designed rotary and linear actuators featuring integrated strain wave gear reduction. The robot's 2.3 kWh battery pack (similar chemistry to Tesla vehicle cells) provides roughly 4-6 hours of moderate activity on a single charge.
Agility Digit: Purpose-Built for Logistics
Agility Robotics took a fundamentally different path. Digit evolved from Cassie, a bipedal research robot developed at Oregon State University in 2017. Rather than trying to build a general-purpose humanoid, Agility focused on making a robot that could do one category of tasks exceptionally well: material handling in warehouses and distribution centers.
Digit's design reflects this focus. Its legs use a unique four-bar linkage mechanism that provides exceptional energy efficiency during walking — critical for all-day warehouse shifts. The robot's "head" houses a dense sensor array (LiDAR, stereo depth cameras, IMUs) designed for reliable perception in cluttered, dynamic warehouse environments where lighting conditions vary and obstacles appear unpredictably.
Rather than trying to replicate human hand dexterity, Digit uses purpose-built end effectors optimized for grasping standard warehouse containers (totes, boxes, bins). This trade-off means less versatility but significantly higher reliability for the target use case.
AI and Software: The Real Battleground
Tesla's FSD-Derived Intelligence
Tesla's biggest competitive advantage is its AI infrastructure. Optimus runs on neural networks derived from Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, trained on data from millions of Tesla vehicles. The Dojo supercomputer — purpose-built for training AI models on video data — gives Tesla enormous compute capacity for improving Optimus's perception and decision-making.
In 2025, Tesla demonstrated Optimus performing end-to-end autonomous tasks in its Fremont and Giga Texas factories: sorting battery cells, moving parts between stations, and performing quality inspections. The key breakthrough was the shift from teleoperation (which critics had noted in earlier demos) to genuine autonomous task execution using learned behaviors.
Ashok Elluswamy, who took over the Optimus program in June 2025 after Milan Kovac's departure, has accelerated the integration of FSD perception models into Optimus. This leadership change aligned the robot and vehicle AI teams more closely, enabling faster transfer learning between domains.
Agility Arc: Enterprise-Grade Robot Management
Agility's software platform, Agility Arc, takes an enterprise-first approach. Rather than pushing the boundaries of general AI, Arc provides:
- Facility Mapping: Automated 3D mapping of warehouse environments
- Workflow Definition: Drag-and-drop task programming without coding
- Fleet Management: Coordinated control of multiple Digit units
- Safety Monitoring: Real-time compliance with ISO 13482 (robots for personal care) and warehouse safety standards
- Analytics Dashboard: Performance metrics, uptime tracking, and predictive maintenance
This pragmatic approach means Digit may lack Optimus's raw AI potential, but it offers something enterprise customers value more: predictable, reliable, auditable automation that integrates with existing warehouse management systems (WMS).
Real-World Deployment: Who's Actually Working?
Optimus in Tesla Factories (2025-2026)
As of late 2025, Tesla has deployed over 1,000 Optimus units across its Fremont, Giga Texas, and Giga Shanghai facilities. These robots handle:
- Battery cell sorting and inspection
- Parts transfer between production stations
- Quality control visual inspections
- Light assembly tasks
Musk stated at the October 2024 "We, Robot" event that external sales could begin in 2026, with initial customers likely being other manufacturers and logistics companies. The estimated retail price of ~$30,000 (revised upward from the earlier $20,000 target) would still make Optimus significantly cheaper than most industrial robotic systems.
In a bold move, Musk announced in March 2025 that an Optimus unit would be sent to Mars in 2026 aboard a SpaceX Starship — a largely symbolic demonstration, but one that highlights Tesla's ambitions beyond terrestrial applications.
Digit in Amazon and Beyond (2023-2026)
Agility Robotics has a significant head start in commercial deployment. Key milestones include:
- September 2023: Opened RoboFab in Salem, Oregon — the world's first dedicated humanoid robot manufacturing facility (6,500 m², capacity 10,000+ units/year)
- 2023-2024: Amazon began testing Digit in its fulfillment centers, initially for moving empty totes
- 2024-2025: Expanded deployment to GXO Logistics and other enterprise customers
- 2025: Agility shifted to a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, where customers lease Digit fleets rather than purchasing outright
The RaaS model is strategically important. Rather than asking warehouse operators to make a large capital expenditure on unproven technology, Agility lets them pay per-robot-per-month, lowering the adoption barrier. This approach mirrors how companies like Locus Robotics scaled their AMR (autonomous mobile robot) fleets.
Mobility, Balance, and Physical Performance
Both robots use bipedal locomotion, but their approaches differ significantly:
Digit's advantage in energy-efficient locomotion is meaningful for warehouse applications, where robots need to operate for full 8-12 hour shifts. Optimus's faster top speed matters less in structured indoor environments but could be relevant for future outdoor applications.
Hand Dexterity and Manipulation
This is where the robots diverge most sharply. Tesla has invested heavily in making Optimus's hands as dexterous as possible:
- Gen 2 (2023): 11 degrees of freedom per hand, metallic cable-driven system with 4 fingers + thumb
- Gen 3 (2024-2025): 22 degrees of freedom per hand, enabling precision grasps, tool use, and delicate object handling
Digit, by contrast, uses specialized grippers that are optimized for grasping warehouse totes and boxes. These grippers are less versatile than Optimus's hands but achieve higher grasp success rates (>99%) on their target objects. For warehouse operators, this reliability trade-off is overwhelmingly positive.
Industry Applications: Where Each Robot Fits
Manufacturing
Optimus has the edge in manufacturing flexibility. Its dexterous hands and general-purpose AI make it adaptable to diverse assembly, inspection, and material handling tasks. Tesla is proving this internally — Optimus units in Tesla factories handle multiple task types and can be retrained for new tasks via software updates.
Digit's manufacturing applications focus on material transport — moving parts, bins, and finished goods between stations. It's less suited for fine assembly work but excels at the repetitive movement tasks that account for a significant portion of manufacturing labor.
Logistics and Warehousing
This is Digit's home turf. With proven deployments at Amazon and GXO, Digit has demonstrated:
- Autonomous tote movement and sorting
- Package handling and transport
- Integration with conveyor systems and shelving
- Multi-shift operation with fleet coordination
Optimus could enter this space, but Tesla has not yet announced logistics-specific partnerships. The robot's higher payload (20 kg vs 16 kg) and faster speed are advantages, but Digit's established customer relationships and proven reliability give it a multi-year head start.
Retail and eCommerce
Agility has explicitly targeted retail and eCommerce fulfillment as a growth market. Digit's ability to navigate cluttered backrooms, pick items from shelves, and transport them to packing stations aligns well with the labor challenges facing retail warehouses, especially during peak seasons.
Future Applications: Healthcare, Construction, Space
Optimus's general-purpose design gives it the broader long-term application potential. Tesla has hinted at home assistance, eldercare, and construction applications. The Mars mission (planned 2026) could open entirely new markets in space exploration and off-world construction. However, these remain aspirational — no concrete deployment timelines exist outside of manufacturing.
Pricing and Business Model Comparison
If Tesla hits the $30,000 price point, the economics become compelling compared to human labor costs. A $30,000 robot operating 16 hours/day costs roughly $3-5/hour (amortized over 3 years with maintenance), compared to $15-25/hour for human warehouse workers in the US. Digit's RaaS model has different economics — higher monthly cost but lower risk, no capital expenditure, and guaranteed uptime via service agreements.
Investment and Market Context
The humanoid robot market is projected to reach $38 billion by 2035 (Goldman Sachs, 2024). Both Tesla and Agility are positioned to capture significant market share, but their paths differ:
- Tesla: Backed by Tesla's $800B+ market cap, Dojo supercomputer investment ($1B+), and FSD data moat. Musk has suggested Optimus could eventually become more valuable than Tesla's vehicle business.
- Agility Robotics: Has raised over $641M in total funding ($400M Series C in March 2025), with investors including Amazon, SoftBank, and DCVC. The RoboFab facility represents a significant bet on near-term production scale.
Other competitors in the humanoid robot space include Boston Dynamics Atlas, Figure AI's Figure 02, Sanctuary AI Phoenix, and Unitree H1/G1. The market is rapidly expanding, but as of January 2026, only Agility has achieved meaningful commercial deployment of a humanoid robot.
Safety and Human-Robot Interaction
Both robots incorporate multiple safety systems, but their approaches reflect their different deployment contexts:
Tesla Optimus: Relies heavily on its vision-based perception system (derived from FSD) to detect and avoid humans. Safety features include force-limited actuators, emergency stop buttons, and speed reduction zones when humans are detected nearby. However, experts including Rodney Brooks (iRobot co-founder) have expressed skepticism about Optimus's readiness for unstructured household environments, calling the vision of humanoid robots as "catchall assistants" as "pure fantasy thinking" due to coordination challenges.
Agility Digit: Designed from the ground up for shared workspace operation. Digit complies with ISO 13482 safety standards and includes proximity sensors, force/torque feedback, and automatic speed reduction when approaching humans. Its warehouse deployments at Amazon demonstrate practical coexistence with human workers — a critical validation that Optimus has yet to achieve outside Tesla's own facilities.
Development Timeline: Key Milestones
Category-by-Category Breakdown: Optimus vs Digit
To determine which humanoid robot wins across key performance areas, we break down the comparison into seven categories. Each category declares a winner based on current specifications, deployment data, and real-world performance as of February 2026.
1. Agility & Mobility
Winner: Tesla Optimus
Tesla Optimus achieves a top walking speed of 8 km/h (5 mph), compared to Digit's 5.5 km/h (3.4 mph). This 45% speed advantage translates to faster task completion in environments where travel time matters — factory floors, distribution centers, and multi-zone operations. Optimus also demonstrated running capability (early tests showed bursts up to 8 km/h sustained), while Digit is optimized for efficient walking only.
That said, Digit's four-bar linkage leg design offers superior energy efficiency per step — critical for all-day warehouse shifts where battery life matters more than peak speed. For pure locomotion speed and versatility, Optimus wins. For energy-efficient marathon walking, Digit holds an edge.
2. Dexterity & Manipulation
Winner: Tesla Optimus
This category isn't close. Tesla Optimus Gen 3 features 22 degrees of freedom per hand — each finger has multiple articulating joints, enabling precision grasps, tool use, and manipulation of irregular objects. Demonstrations include handling raw eggs, turning small knobs, and picking up thin metal sheets.
Agility Digit uses purpose-built grippers optimized for warehouse totes and boxes. While these achieve >99% grasp success rates on standard containers, they cannot handle diverse object types, perform fine assembly, or use tools. For general-purpose manipulation, Optimus is substantially more capable. Digit's grippers are a deliberate trade-off: less versatility for higher reliability on target tasks.
3. AI & Software
Winner: Tesla Optimus
Tesla's AI infrastructure is unmatched in the humanoid space. Optimus runs on neural networks derived from Full Self-Driving (FSD), trained on data from millions of Tesla vehicles. The Dojo supercomputer provides massive compute capacity for training — purpose-built for video data at a scale no other humanoid company can match.
By contrast, Agility's Arc software platform is enterprise-grade but narrower in scope. Arc excels at facility mapping, workflow definition, fleet management, and safety monitoring for warehouse operations. It's reliable, auditable, and integrates with existing warehouse management systems — but it's not designed for general-purpose AI or learning new tasks autonomously.
For raw AI capability and learning potential, Optimus leads decisively. For enterprise-ready, predictable automation software, Agility Arc is more mature.
4. Sensors & Perception
Winner: Agility Robotics Digit
Digit's sensor suite is purpose-built for warehouse environments: LiDAR for precise mapping, stereo depth cameras for obstacle detection, IMUs for balance, and force/torque sensors for grasp feedback. This combination delivers reliable perception in cluttered, dynamic environments where lighting varies and obstacles appear unpredictably.
Tesla Optimus relies primarily on cameras (derived from Tesla Vision), with force/torque sensors and IMUs. While Tesla's neural network approach can extract impressive information from camera data alone, the lack of LiDAR limits precision in certain scenarios — especially depth estimation in low-light or high-glare conditions common in industrial settings.
For industrial/warehouse perception reliability, Digit's multi-modal sensor fusion wins. For consumer environments with good lighting, Tesla's camera-based approach may prove sufficient.
5. Price & Value
Winner: Tie (different models suit different buyers)
Tesla targets a ~$30,000 purchase price for Optimus at mass production — dramatically cheaper than any comparable humanoid if achieved. Amortized over 3-5 years, this translates to roughly $500-800/month, competitive with warehouse labor costs in many markets.
Agility uses a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model with estimated monthly costs of $2,000-4,000 per Digit. Higher monthly cost, but zero upfront capital expenditure, included maintenance, and guaranteed uptime — lower risk for enterprises testing humanoid automation.
For buyers who want to own and can afford upfront investment, Optimus offers better long-term economics. For enterprise operators who prefer OpEx over CapEx with lower adoption risk, Digit's RaaS model wins. Different value propositions for different buyer profiles.
6. Commercial Readiness
Winner: Agility Robotics Digit
This isn't a debate. Digit is commercially deployed — RIGHT NOW. Amazon uses Digit fleets in fulfillment centers. GXO Logistics operates Digit in distribution hubs. Multiple enterprise customers are paying for Digit's services through Agility's RaaS program. The RoboFab facility in Salem, Oregon, can produce 10,000+ units per year.
Tesla Optimus has 1,000+ units deployed, but exclusively inside Tesla's own factories. External sales haven't begun. Elon Musk has indicated external availability in 2026, with consumer sales likely in 2027 or later. Optimus is proven internally but unproven with external customers.
For a humanoid robot you can deploy TODAY, Digit is the only real option. For a humanoid robot you can deploy in 2-3 years, Optimus becomes a contender.
7. Real-World Deployment Track Record
Winner: Agility Robotics Digit
Digit has years of real-world warehouse deployment data. Agility can demonstrate uptime metrics, task completion rates, safety records, and ROI data from actual customer deployments. This track record is invaluable for enterprise sales — procurement teams can see proven results, not just demos.
Tesla Optimus deployments are internal and limited to controlled factory environments. While Tesla claims over 1,000 units performing battery sorting, parts transfer, and quality inspection, there's no third-party verification or customer testimonials. External deployments will need to prove Optimus can perform reliably outside Tesla's own walls.
For proven, auditable deployment history, Digit wins decisively. Optimus needs 12-24 months of external deployments to compete on this metric.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Agility Robotics Digit if you:
- Need proven humanoid automation TODAY — Digit is commercially available now with active deployments at Amazon, GXO, and other enterprise customers. No waiting for product launches or external sales.
- Operate warehouses or logistics centers — Digit is purpose-built for tote movement, package handling, and material transport. It excels at exactly these tasks.
- Prefer Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) — Zero upfront CapEx, included maintenance, guaranteed uptime. Lower risk for testing humanoid automation before committing to ownership.
- Value reliability over versatility — Digit's specialized grippers achieve >99% grasp success on warehouse containers. It does fewer things but does them with proven reliability.
- Need enterprise-grade software integration — Agility Arc integrates with existing WMS systems, provides fleet management, and meets ISO 13482 safety compliance.
Choose Tesla Optimus if you:
- Need general-purpose manipulation — Optimus's 22 DOF hands can handle diverse objects, use tools, and adapt to new tasks. Essential for manufacturing environments with varied workloads.
- Want lower long-term total cost of ownership — At ~$30,000 purchase price, Optimus costs $500-800/month amortized vs Digit's $2,000-4,000/month RaaS. If you can wait and want to own, the economics favor Optimus.
- Value AI learning and software updates — Tesla's FSD-derived neural networks and Dojo training infrastructure mean Optimus will likely improve faster via OTA updates than purpose-built alternatives.
- Are planning for 2026+ deployment — If your timeline allows waiting for external availability (mid-to-late 2026), Optimus becomes a viable option with potentially better specs and price.
- Want a single robot for multiple task types — Optimus's general-purpose design suits environments where the robot needs to assembly, inspect, sort, AND transport — not just one of these.
Final Verdict
Overall Winner: Agility Robotics Digit — for buyers who need humanoid automation in 2026.
Digit wins on the metric that matters most for commercial adoption: it's available, proven, and deployed. While Tesla Optimus leads on raw capability (AI, dexterity, speed), those advantages don't matter if you can't actually buy and deploy the robot. Agility's head start in commercialization — the RoboFab facility, Amazon partnership, RaaS model, and years of warehouse deployment data — makes Digit the pragmatic choice for enterprises adopting humanoid robots today.
However, Tesla Optimus has the higher long-term ceiling. If Tesla hits the $30,000 price point at scale, Optimus becomes the most economically compelling humanoid robot ever produced. Tesla's AI infrastructure and manufacturing scale could enable rapid improvement and cost reduction that Agility cannot match. For buyers planning deployments in 2027 and beyond, Optimus is worth serious consideration.
The humanoid robot market is large enough for both to succeed. Digit owns logistics/warehouse; Optimus aims for general-purpose manufacturing and (eventually) consumer markets. This rivalry will drive innovation across the entire industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Tesla Optimus cost vs Agility Digit?
Tesla aims to sell Optimus at approximately $30,000 per unit (revised from an earlier $20,000 target). Agility Robotics uses a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) leasing model for Digit, with estimated monthly costs of $2,000-4,000 per robot. The total cost of ownership depends on deployment duration and utilization rates.
Is Agility Digit available for purchase in 2026?
Yes — Agility Robotics has been commercially deploying Digit since 2023-2024 through its RaaS program. Enterprise customers like Amazon and GXO Logistics are actively using Digit fleets. Contact Agility Robotics directly for fleet pricing and availability.
When will Tesla Optimus be available for sale to the public?
Tesla plans to begin external sales of Optimus in 2026, initially to manufacturers and enterprise customers. Consumer availability is further out — likely 2027 or later, pending regulatory approvals and further autonomous capability development.
Can Tesla Optimus or Digit work in my warehouse?
Digit is already proven in warehouse environments and is the better near-term option for logistics automation. Optimus may become an option for warehouse work in 2026-2027 once Tesla begins external sales, but it currently lacks Digit's warehouse-specific optimizations and track record.
Which robot is more advanced — Tesla Optimus or Agility Digit?
"Advanced" depends on the metric. Optimus has superior hand dexterity (22 DOF per hand vs specialized grippers), faster walking speed (8 km/h vs 5.5 km/h), and more sophisticated AI. Digit has superior commercial readiness, energy-efficient locomotion, and proven reliability in real-world deployments. For general-purpose capability, Optimus leads. For deployable, reliable logistics automation, Digit leads.
What happened to the original $20,000 price for Tesla Optimus?
At the October 2024 "We, Robot" event, Elon Musk revised the Optimus price estimate upward to approximately $30,000. The original $20,000 figure was an aspirational target from early development stages. The revised price reflects more realistic manufacturing costs, though it remains aggressive compared to other humanoid robots on the market.
Will humanoid robots like Optimus and Digit replace warehouse workers?
In the near term (2026-2028), these robots will supplement rather than replace human workers. They handle specific repetitive tasks — tote movement, sorting, basic inspection — freeing human workers for higher-value activities. Full replacement of warehouse labor is unlikely before 2030+, and will depend on advances in autonomous decision-making, dexterity, and cost reduction.
Related: Tesla Optimus Gen 2 Review · Agility Robotics Digit Review · Tesla Optimus vs Boston Dynamics Atlas · Tesla Optimus Alternatives & Competitors
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