Elon Musk is ramping up his efforts to harness the power of artificial intelligence, with bold plans to build cutting-edge supercomputers. As both Tesla's CEO and the founder of AI startup xAI, Musk is positioning AI at the heart of his vision for the future. Earlier this year, he emphasized that Tesla should be viewed as an AI and robotics company rather than just a car manufacturer. Central to this transformation is Tesla’s custom-built supercomputer, Dojo, which the company is developing to the tune of $500 million in Buffalo, New York. Alongside this, Tesla is constructing another supercomputer cluster, Cortex, at its Austin headquarters.
Dojo’s primary role is to process the massive volumes of video data collected from Tesla vehicles, refining the company’s driver assistance systems, Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD). These features, available via subscription, promise enhanced automation such as lane changes, parking, and stopping at traffic signals. However, despite the lofty names, both Autopilot and FSD still require active driver supervision and haven’t yet achieved full autonomy—a milestone crucial to Tesla’s future in the robotaxi market.
Facing tough competition from the likes of Waymo, GM’s Cruise, and Amazon’s Zoox, Tesla hopes that Dojo will provide the technological edge needed to leap ahead in the autonomous vehicle race. The supercomputer also has broader applications, including training Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, slated for factory deployment next year.
Beyond Tesla, Musk's ambitions extend to xAI, his new AI venture. The company is developing large language models and AI tools like Grok, a chatbot aimed at rivaling those from industry giants like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. With xAI’s supercomputer, Colossus, already partially online in Memphis, Musk’s vision of AI-driven innovation shows no signs of slowing down.
Tesla's investment in AI and supercomputing is more than just a tech upgrade—it's a bet on the future. With Dojo, Cortex, and Colossus all in motion, Musk is aiming to position his companies as leaders in AI, from self-driving cars to cutting-edge robotics. Whether this push will deliver the competitive edge Tesla needs remains to be seen, but Musk’s bold approach is undeniably shaping the next frontier of AI technology.
