Elon Musk’s Shocking Response to ABC’s $150 Million Claim on AI Robot Girlfriend
In a sensational twist that captivated the internet, ABC News recently aired a segment claiming that Elon Musk, the visionary behind Tesla and SpaceX, had unveiled his “first robot girlfriend,” a humanoid powered by advanced artificial intelligence and priced at $150 million. The report, which included a glossy image of Musk dining with a sleek, blonde-haired robotic figure, sent social media into a frenzy. However, Musk’s explosive response to the story debunked the claims and raised questions about the media’s credibility, leaving fans and critics alike reeling.
ABC Bombshell Report
The ABC segment, which aired on June 16, 2025, alleged that Musk had partnered with Tesla’s robotics division to create a prototype called “Aphrodite,” a hyper-realistic AI companion designed for personal relationships. The report cited anonymous sources and claimed that the robot featured cutting-edge AI capable of emotional intelligence, customizable personalities, and lifelike interactions. Priced at $150 million, Aphrodite was supposedly aimed at ultra-wealthy buyers looking for “the ultimate companion.” The segment included an AI-generated image of Musk at a restaurant with the robot, captioned as evidence of a “public debut.”
The story spread like wildfire on X, with hashtags like #muskrobotgirlfriend and #aphroditeai trending globally. Fans speculated about the implications of this technology, while others questioned the ethics of a $150 million robotic partner. But the euphoria was short-lived, when Musk himself took to X to deliver a scathing rebuttal.
Musk’s fiery response
In a post on X just hours after the ABC broadcast, Musk categorically denied the existence of any “robot girlfriend” and blasted the network to spread misinformation. “The ABC story ‘Robot Ndrieffilding’ is pure fiction. No such project exists at Tesla or anywhere else. This is what happens when the media prioritizes clicks over truth. Shameful!” he wrote, adding a laughing emoji for emphasis. Musk further clarified that the image used by ABC was generated by AI, pointing to a reverse image search that links it to a parody account, @iamnot_elon, known for posting fabricated visuals.
Musk didn’t stop there. In a follow-up post, he challenged ABC to provide evidence for its claims, stating, “Show me a credible source or prototype. You can’t, because it’s a lie.” He also took a swipe at the reported $150 million price tag, joking, “If I were building a robot girlfriend, I’d make it affordable for more than just billionaires!” The posts garnered millions of views, with fans rallying behind Musk and slamming ABC for what many called “fake news.”
The truth behind the image
Investigations by fact-checkers including Politifact and Snopes have confirmed Musk’s claims. The image of him with the alleged robot was attributed to a July 2023 post by @iamnot_elon, captioned: “Will this be normal soon?” The account, explicitly labeled as a parody, has a history of sharing AI-generated images, including fabricated looks of Musk featuring public figures. AI detection tools like Hive moderation rated the image as 99.9% likely to be AI-generated, citing distortions in Musk’s hands and the robot’s utensils as telltale signs.
No credible reports or statements from Tesla or Musk support the existence of a $150 million girlfriend. Tesla’s humanoid robot project, Optimus, is focused on industrial tasks like manufacturing and logistics, not personal companionship. Musk has stated that Optimus prototypes are in low production for Tesla’s internal use, with plans for wider commercial availability by 2026, but these robots do not have the advanced AI or aesthetic design described in the ABC report.
A broader context of misinformation
This isn’t the first time Musk has been linked to stories of fabricated robot girlfriends. In 2023, similar AI-generated images of Musk kissing or dancing with robots went viral, falsely claiming that he was developing a “robot wife” named Catnilla. Fact-checkers including France24 and Full Fact have debunked these claims, noting that the images were created by digital artists for satire or influence. A 2024 rumor about Musk tweeting that “indistinguishable robot-human companions” would be mainstream in 15 to 20 years has also been attributed to a fake screenshot from a discredited X account.
ABC’s story seems to be inspired by real advances in robotics, like Realbotix’s ARIA, a $175,000 companion robot shown off at CES 2025. But ARIA isn’t related to Musk or Tesla, and its creators at Realbotix are focusing on customizable companions, not billion-dollar prototypes.
The consequences and public reaction
ABC has yet to issue a retraction or response to Musk’s accusations, fueling criticism of the network’s journalistic standards. On X, users mocked the $150 million price tag, with one posting: “For that price, I would expect the robot to colonize Mars for me!” Others expressed disappointment in ABC, with one fan writing: “Elon is out here building the future, and ABC is making up soap opera stories. Do better.”
The incident has also reignited debates about AI-generated misinformation and the role of the media in amplifying it. Siwei Lyu, a digital forensics expert at the University at Buffalo, warned: “AI imagery is increasingly convincing and, without scrutiny, can spread false narratives quickly.”
What’s next?
Musk’s swift debunking has shifted the focus back to his actual robotics work with Optimus, which aims to revolutionize industries, not relationships. In the meantime, ABC’s blunder serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked sensationalism in the age of AI. As the dust settles, one thing is clear: Elon Musk’s “robot girlfriend” exists only in the realm of viral hoaxes, not reality.
For now, fans are left wondering whether Musk’s next X Post will further address the controversy — or whether he’ll simply let his work speak louder than the rumors.
