Elon Musk has announced a major expansion of his business ventures into Saudi Arabia, confirming the approval of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service for aviation and maritime use, and sharing plans to introduce Tesla’s Robotaxi and Optimus humanoid robots to the Kingdom in the future.
Musk made the announcements while speaking at the high-profile Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh. Musk thanked Saudi officials for approving Starlink, marking a significant step in the country’s push for advanced digital infrastructure.
“I’d like to thank the Kingdom for approving Starlink for maritime and aviation use,” Musk said during his on-stage remarks.
NEWS: Elon Musk has announced that Saudi Arabia has approved @Starlink for maritime and aviation use. pic.twitter.com/cjkpTC90V7
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) May 13, 2025
Tesla Robotaxi to Enter Saudi Market
Beyond Starlink, Musk revealed that Tesla is exploring the deployment of its autonomous Robotaxi service in Saudi Arabia. While no timeline was given, Musk expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity. “I think it would be very exciting to have autonomous vehicles here in the Kingdom,” he said, with Saudi officials responding positively to the prospect.
Optimus Robots Demonstrated to Saudi Leadership
Musk also demonstrated Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. President Donald Trump. He highlighted the robots’ potential to revolutionize global labour markets and contribute to economic growth.
“One of our robots did the Trump dance to ‘YMCA’’, which I think was pretty cool,” Musk said. He emphasized that humanoid robots could one day become as common as smartphones, projecting that “tens of billions” could be produced in the future. Musk added, “Humanoid robots could increase global economic output by a factor of ten.”
“Tesla Optimus just did the Trump dance or the YMCA. Our robots can walk interact with people and dance.”
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) May 13, 2025
Elon Musk pic.twitter.com/pou0xtnSZb
Potential for The Boring Company Projects
Additionally, Musk suggested that his tunneling venture, The Boring Company, could help Saudi Arabia alleviate urban traffic congestion. By building underground transportation tunnels, the Kingdom could create “warp tunnels” to efficiently connect city centers and reduce surface traffic.
