Kim Kardashian denies claim Elon Musk paid her to pose with Tesla robot in steamy photoshoot

Kim Kardashian recently broke the internet with a headline-grabbing photoshoot featuring Tesla’s $30,000 Optimus robot. As part of her Balenciaga campaign, the reality star posed with the gold humanoid bot in a series of sultry shots that have sparked widespread discussion online. However, amid rumours that Tesla CEO Elon Musk paid Kardashian for the campaign, a representative for the 44-year-old has firmly denied any such arrangement.

In one of the photos shared on Instagram, Kardashian is seen sitting on the robot’s lap, dressed in nude Balenciaga leggings and a black bomber jacket. Another image shows her holding the robot’s hand while seated inside a gold Tesla Cybertruck, captioned simply with an alien emoji. Responding to the buzz, Kardashian’s representative told The New York Times on Friday that she “did not get paid” for the photoshoot.

The futuristic collaboration also included a video shared on X (formerly Twitter), where Kardashian introduced the robot to her 75.1 million followers. “Hi! Can you do this? I love you?” she asked, teaching the bot to form a heart shape with her hands. The video ended with Kardashian expressing amazement when Optimus successfully completed the gesture. Another clip, captioned, “Optimus is here to take mw [sic] for a ride in the Cybercab,” showed the robot seated inside the Tesla Cybertruck.

Fans and critics alike were quick to react. Some dubbed Optimus her “low-maintenance boyfriend,” while others questioned the motives behind the campaign. “I’m wondering how much Tesla and Elon had to fork out to get Kim to do this,” wrote one user. Another commented, “Sorry Kim, you’re not gonna normalise [sic] this weird behaviour [sic] for us. We don’t want this!”

The campaign has sparked debate not only about its artistic intent but also about the use of cutting-edge technology in celebrity promotions. The Tesla Optimus robot, unveiled as a prototype by Elon Musk in 2021, has been pitched as the future of robotics with potential for tasks ranging from home assistance to factory work. Kardashian’s choice to include the robot in a fashion campaign underscores the blending of technology and pop culture.