Key Points
- Elon Musk announced the shutdown of Tesla’s Dojo supercomputer team on X.
- Dojo 2 was deemed an “evolutionary dead end” and the project was discontinued.
- Tesla will concentrate on AI5 and AI6 chips, built by TSMC and Samsung.
- AI5 is aimed at powering Full Self‑Driving; AI6 supports inference, training, and robotics.
- Musk suggested that stacking many AI5/AI6 chips on a board could act as a new Dojo generation.
- The shift follows earlier talks of a new AI cluster called Cortex, whose status is uncertain.
- Tesla faces market pressures, including declining EV sales and brand issues linked to Musk’s politics.
- The company seeks to reassure investors about its autonomous vehicle future despite recent robotaxi challenges.
Background on Dojo
Since 2019, Tesla has promoted its Dojo supercomputer as a cornerstone for achieving full self‑driving capability and for the development of humanoid robots. The first Dojo system combined Nvidia GPUs with Tesla‑designed D1 chips, and the company had planned a second facility, dubbed Dojo 2, that would have employed a next‑generation D2 chip.
Dojo Shutdown Announcement
Elon Musk confirmed via a post on X that Tesla has shut down the Dojo team, describing Dojo 2 as an “evolutionary dead end.” He said that once it became clear all development paths converged on the AI6 architecture, the company made “tough personnel choices” and halted further work on the second‑generation supercomputer. Musk noted that the concepts behind a potential Dojo 3 still exist, now embodied by a large number of AI6 systems‑on‑a‑chip placed on a single board.
New Focus on AI5 and AI6 Chips
Tesla is redirecting resources toward its AI5 and AI6 chips, which are fabricated by TSMC and Samsung respectively. The AI5 chip is primarily intended to power Full Self‑Driving (FSD) features, while the AI6 chip is designed for both inference in vehicles and large‑scale AI training, including applications for autonomous humanoid robots. Musk argued that dividing effort between two distinct AI chip designs would be inefficient, and that scaling many AI5/AI6 chips on a board would simplify cabling and reduce costs dramatically.
Implications and Context
The decision to halt Dojo follows a period of shifting narratives at Tesla. Around August 2024, Musk began emphasizing “Cortex,” a new AI training supercluster, but its current status remains unclear. The move occurs as Tesla confronts falling electric‑vehicle sales and brand challenges tied to Musk’s political activities. Despite a limited robotaxi rollout in Austin that experienced reported incidents, Musk continues to assure investors that Tesla’s autonomy ambitions remain viable, now anchored by the AI5 and AI6 chip strategy.
Source: techcrunch.com