Tesla Files Lawsuit Against Ex-Optimus Engineer for Alleged Theft of Trade Secrets

13.06.2025

Tesla has filed a lawsuit against a former engineer, Zhongjie “Jay” Li, accusing him of stealing proprietary information from its humanoid robotics division, Optimus, and using it to launch a competing startup. The suit was filed on Wednesday and first reported by Bloomberg.

According to the complaint, Li worked at Tesla between August 2022 and September 2024. During this time, he allegedly downloaded confidential data—specifically related to advanced robotic hand sensors—onto two personal smartphones. Tesla claims that this information was later used to help establish Proception, a robotics startup backed by Y Combinator.

The lawsuit notes that Li conducted online research into humanoid robotic hands, venture capital, and startup funding during his final months at Tesla. Just days after leaving the company, he founded Proception, which later claimed to have developed advanced humanoid robotic hands that closely resemble Tesla’s own designs.

Tesla argues that the rapid development of Proception’s technology raises suspicions, especially given the sensitive nature of the data allegedly taken. The lawsuit claims Proception’s robotic hands are strikingly similar to those Li worked on during his time at Tesla.

Tesla’s Optimus program has faced delays since its 2021 unveiling. While CEO Elon Musk announced plans to commercialize the robot by 2026, as of late 2024, the bots were still in development and largely operated by human controllers.