In a dramatic turn of events, Tesla has filed a lawsuit against a former engineer, Zhongjie "Jay" Li, alleging that he stole sensitive trade secrets from the company's Optimus humanoid robotics program and used them to launch a rival startup, Proception. This Y Combinator-backed company is developing advanced robotic hands, which bear a striking resemblance to the designs Li worked on while at Tesla.

Li, who was employed by Tesla from August 2022 to September 2024, is accused of downloading confidential information about the Optimus project onto two personal smartphones. The complaint also reveals that during his final months at Tesla, Li conducted research on "humanoid robotic hands" using his workplace computer and explored venture capital and other startup funding sources online.

Within a week of leaving Tesla, Li incorporated Proception, which claims to have "successfully built" advanced humanoid robotic hands in just five months. Proception's website proudly states that the company aims to "revolutionize human-robot interaction by building the world's most advanced humanoid hands."

Tesla's Optimus robotics program has faced several challenges since the company announced its plans to build a humanoid robot, Tesla Bot, in 2021. Initially, Tesla planned to introduce the bot alongside other new products in 2023. However, the project has remained in development, with Elon Musk stating in July 2024 that the robot would be available for sale in 2026.

At Tesla's "We, Robot" event in October 2024, the Optimus bots on display were largely controlled by humans offsite, indicating that the project is still a work in progress. As Tesla continues to develop its Optimus program, the lawsuit against Li and Proception highlights the ongoing competition and the importance of protecting trade secrets in the rapidly evolving field of robotics.