Michael Hiltzik: The artificial intelligence field is infected with hype. Here's how not to get duped

The star of the show at Tesla's annual "AI Day" (for "artificial intelligence") on Sept. 30 was a humanoid robot introduced by Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk as "Optimus."

The robot could walk, if gingerly, and perform a few repetitive mechanical tasks like waving its arms and wielding a watering can over plant boxes. The demo was greeted enthusiastically by the several hundred engineers in the audience, many of whom hoped to land a job with Tesla.

"This means a future of abundance," Musk proclaimed from the stage. "A future where there is no poverty.... It really is a fundamental transformation of civilization as we know it."

Robotics experts watching remotely were less impressed. "Not mindblowing" was the sober judgment of Christian Hubicki of Florida State University.

Some AI experts were even less charitable. "The event was quite the dud," Ben Shneiderman