### Film Director Accuses Elon Musk of Copying Sci-Fi Designs for Robots and Vehicles

The director of the 2004 sci-fi film "I, Robot" has publicly accused Elon Musk of borrowing heavily from his movie's designs for Tesla's newly unveiled humanoid machines and self-driving vehicles. Musk showcased these innovations during a recent Tesla event, where he introduced the Cybercab, featuring winged doors and the absence of traditional steering mechanisms, alongside a fresh look at the company's Optimus robots.

Titled "We, Robot," the event name seems to play on a collection of short stories by Isaac Asimov. This caught the attention of Alex Proyas, who directed "I, Robot," a film starring Will Smith as a detective suspicious of docile androids. Proyas took to social media platform X, posting to his followers, “Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please,” a message that has garnered significant attention, viewed 6.4 million times.

Responding to comments about the originality of his movie’s visuals on Instagram, the Australian director elaborated that he had collaborated with a "very talented design team" to create the film’s distinctive aesthetic. He contrasted this with Musk's team, whom he accused of lifting ideas from his sci-fi movie. Further supporting Proyas' claims, "I, Robot" production designer Patrick Tatopoulos reposted comparative images showing stark similarities between the film’s designs and Tesla’s latest innovations. "Maybe it is just me, or should I feel honoured that Elon found some inspiration in my I, Robot designs," Tatopoulos commented.

Despite these serious accusations, the internet's reaction has been divided. Some critics argue that Proyas' film itself borrows from earlier works, leading to debates on the originality of sci-fi design generally. This isn’t the first instance where tech companies have been suspected of drawing inspiration from science fiction as they develop new gadgets and robotics, especially in the burgeoning field of generative artificial intelligence (AI).

Elon Musk has openly mentioned that Douglas Adams' novel "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," which features a humanoid robot named Marvin the Paranoid Android, influenced him. His AI chatbot, Grok, featuring a sense of humor, appears to be modeled after this character. Musk has also described Tesla’s aggressive Cybertruck design as reminiscent of an "armoured personnel carrier from the future" that might have been featured in the movie "Bladerunner."

Meanwhile, in a parallel incident, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the similarities between ChatGPT’s new voice and a virtual assistant featured in the 2013 film "Her," portrayed by Scarlett Johansson. After facing criticism, the company withdrew its "Sky" voice, asserting that no imitation was intended. Johansson expressed her discontent, stating she was "angered" and "shocked" at the resemblance.

These claims and counterclaims underscore the ongoing conversation about the influence of fiction on the real-world development of technology, revealing complex intersections between creativity and innovation.