Elon Musk Accused of Plagiarizing Designs from 'I, Robot' Director

The director of the 2004 science-fiction film I, Robot, Alex Proyas, has made accusations against billionaire Elon Musk, claiming that he copied designs from his film for Tesla's new vehicles and robots. This controversy arose after Musk showcased the Tesla Cybercab at a recent event, alongside updates on Tesla's Optimus robots.

The newly introduced Cybercab features striking winged doors and is designed without a steering wheel or pedals. However, Proyas was particularly interested in the aesthetics of the showcase, dubbing it "We, Robot," a play on the title of the classic collection of short stories by Isaac Asimov. Proyas expressed his concerns about originality in a post on social media platform X.

In his social media post, which gained significant attention, Proyas asked Musk, "Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please?" This comment quickly amassed over 6.4 million views. Proyas defended his design team's hard work by highlighting their talent, contrasting it with what he perceived as a lack of originality in Tesla's designs. He stated, "Elon Musk on the other hand has a not so talented design team who watched a lot of movies, including I, Robot it seems."

Support from Production Designer

Patrick Tatopoulos, the production designer for I, Robot, joined Proyas in the discussions, reposting visuals that compared the film's designs with images from Tesla's recent event. He wrote, "Maybe it is just me, or should I feel honoured that Elon found some inspiration in my I, Robot designs?" He concluded by stating that he found it entertaining to observe the situation.

The Online Reaction

Despite the serious nature of Proyas's claims, users on social media expressed skepticism. Some commentators pointed out that his own film might not be entirely original, citing earlier works like the 1927 German film Metropolis, which features a feminized cyborg. These claims highlight an ongoing debate about the influence of classic science fiction on contemporary technology and design.

Additionally, this is not the first time the connection between technology and science fiction has been raised. Many observers have noted that tech companies often draw inspiration from cinematic and literary works as they innovate in fields like robotics and artificial intelligence. Elon Musk himself has previously acknowledged his admiration for Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, referencing a character known as Marvin the Paranoid Android. Moreover, his AI chatbot named Grok was said to have been inspired by this character.

Other Comparisons in Tech

Musk's comments about his Tesla Cybertruck likening it to an armoured personnel vehicle from the future—including a reference to Blade Runner—also show the blurred lines between fiction and technology. Similarly, Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI, faced scrutiny when his company presented a voice for their ChatGPT AI that resembled a character played by Scarlett Johansson in the movie Her. After criticism regarding the similarities, OpenAI removed the voice, clarifying that it was unintentional.

These incidents underline the continuing dialogue on the intersection of creativity in film and practical applications in technology, as well as the challenges of originality in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Elon, Proyas, Tesla