TLDR
- Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood identified humanoid robots as the biggest opportunity in embodied AI during an interview at the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia
- Tesla’s Optimus robot appeared in Times Square handing out candy while plugged in, with unclear levels of human teleoperation involved
- Wood’s ARK AI & Robotics ETF holds Tesla (9.16%), Palantir (7.02%), and AMD (6.14%) as its top positions
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicts Optimus will represent 80% of Tesla’s future value and generate over $10 trillion in revenue
- Wood emphasized that large corporations will need companies like Palantir to restructure operations before fully capitalizing on AI productivity gains
Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood named humanoid robots as the largest opportunity in embodied artificial intelligence during remarks at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh. Wood spoke to CNBC about the potential for AI-powered machines designed to resemble people in size, shape, and movement.
“I think the chaser is going to be humanoid robots,” Wood said. “And I think that is going to be the biggest of all the embodied AI opportunities.”
Wood’s comments came as Tesla showcased its Optimus robot in New York City’s Times Square on Monday. The robot handed out candy near the Nasdaq building as part of a Halloween-themed demonstration. Two Optimus units distributed small red and yellow bags of gummies to passersby.
🚨BREAKING: IN NEW YORK CITY, OPTIMUS IS CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN BY HANDING OUT CANDY TO RESIDENTS! $TSLA pic.twitter.com/gtbAypigtR
— Tsla Archive (@tesla_archive) October 27, 2025
The robot appeared to be plugged in during the demonstration. Video footage showed Optimus occasionally dropping candy bags before picking them back up. CNBC’s Rebecca Quick reported witnessing these moments during the display.
Tesla also brought its Cybercab autonomous vehicle to the Times Square event. The vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals and remains in development. Both products represent Tesla’s push into autonomous technology and robotics.
This was not Optimus’s first candy distribution event. The robot previously handed out treats at Tesla’s “Frunk or Treat” employee event. Tesla has used various public appearances to demonstrate Optimus’s capabilities over recent months.
Questions About Robot Autonomy
Previous Optimus demonstrations have relied on teleoperation by human operators. At Tesla’s 2024 “We Robot” event, several Optimus units worked as bartenders. Morgan Stanley analysts later confirmed the robots were not operating independently at that event.
Business Insider reported in June that Tesla was shifting its Optimus training approach. The company moved away from motion capture suits and VR headsets. Instead, Tesla began recording videos of workers performing tasks to train the robot.
Elon Musk addressed autonomy questions during Tesla’s third-quarter earnings call in October. He claimed Optimus was not tele-operated when it appeared at the “Tron: Ares” movie premiere earlier that month. “Nobody was controlling it, it was just doing Kung Fu with Jared Leto,” Musk stated.
Investment Perspectives on AI Robotics
Wood’s ARK Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF holds Tesla as its largest position at 9.16 percent. Palantir follows at 7.02 percent and AMD at 6.14 percent. These holdings reflect Wood’s conviction in companies developing AI and robotics technologies.
Wood acknowledged that large corporations will need time to prepare for AI transformation. She specifically mentioned Palantir’s role in helping major enterprises restructure their operations. “It is going to take a company like Palantir going into the largest enterprises and really restructuring them,” Wood explained.
Consumer applications may arrive more quickly than enterprise solutions. Wood expressed enthusiasm about personal AI assistants handling shopping tasks. She noted that AI has already increased her own research productivity.
Musk has made ambitious predictions about Optimus’s commercial potential. In September, he said 80 percent of Tesla’s value would eventually come from the humanoid robot. He previously estimated Optimus could generate over $10 trillion in revenue.
“Optimus at scale is the infinite money glitch,” Musk said during Tesla’s third-quarter earnings call. “There is not really a limit to AI that is embodied.”
Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm told CNBC she has observed Optimus folding laundry in the company’s lab. These demonstrations aim to show practical applications for the robot beyond public appearances.
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