Join the Tesla silicon team if you want to work on chips that save lives!Elon Musk (@elonmusk):Just had a great design review today with the Tesla AI5 chip design team! This is going to be an epic chip.And AI6 to follow has a shot at being the best by AI chip by far.Switching from doing 2 chip architectures to 1 means all our silicon talent is focused on making 1 ...

Just had a great design review today with the Tesla AI5 chip design team! This is going to be an epic chip.And AI6 to follow has a shot at being the best by AI chip by far.Switching from doing 2 chip architectures to 1 means all our silicon talent is focused on making 1 incredible chip. No-brainer in retrospect.Please join the Tesla silicon team if you want to work on chips that save lives. Milliseconds matter. ...

Core Insights - Tesla has decided to shut down its Dojo AI supercomputer project and disband the associated team, marking a significant shift in its AI strategy [2][10][44] - The decision comes after years of hype and promises from CEO Elon Musk regarding Dojo's potential to revolutionize Tesla's self-driving capabilities and AI initiatives [2][12][13] - The company is now pivoting towards partnerships for chip development, particularly focusing on its new AI6 chips from Samsung, which are intended to support various AI applications [11][31] Group 1: Dojo's Development and Shutdown - Dojo was designed as a custom-built supercomputer to train Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) neural networks, aiming to achieve full autonomy and support the robotaxi initiative [3][4][18] - Despite initial ambitions, Tesla failed to effectively link its self-driving advancements to Dojo, leading to a lack of focus on the project in recent communications [5][8] - The shutdown of Dojo was announced shortly after Tesla signed a $16.5 billion deal for next-generation AI6 chips, indicating a strategic shift away from self-reliant hardware [11][12] Group 2: Implications for Tesla's AI Strategy - The closure of Dojo has sparked mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a failure of Musk's promises, while others see it as a necessary pivot towards a more sustainable AI strategy [8][9] - Analysts have noted that losing key talent from the Dojo team could hinder future AI projects, especially given the specialized nature of the technology [10] - Tesla's future AI efforts will now rely more on partnerships with established chip manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD, moving away from its previous goal of self-sufficiency in chip production [31][32] Group 3: Financial and Market Impact - The initial projections for Dojo included significant financial commitments, such as a $500 million investment for a supercomputer at the Buffalo gigafactory, which will now not be allocated to Dojo [39][44] - Analysts had previously estimated that Dojo could potentially add $500 billion to Tesla's market value by creating new revenue streams through AI and robotaxi services [35] - The shift in strategy may impact investor sentiment, as the ambitious goals set for Dojo were not met, leading to questions about Tesla's long-term AI vision [38][40]

Core Insights - Tesla has disbanded the team working on its Dojo AI training supercomputer, shifting focus to AI5 and AI6 chips [1][3][4] - The D2 chip development has been shelved, and resources will be concentrated on the AI5 and AI6 chips, which are being manufactured by TSMC and Samsung [3][4] - Musk indicated that the new strategy aims to reduce complexity and costs by consolidating efforts on fewer chip designs [4] Company Strategy - The decision to shut down Dojo was made after determining that it was an "evolutionary dead end," with future efforts now directed towards AI6 systems-on-a-chip [2][4] - The AI5 chip is designed for Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, while AI6 is intended for both onboard inference and large-scale AI training [3][4] - Musk suggested that the new approach could be referred to as "Dojo 3," focusing on integrating multiple AI5/AI6 chips on a single board [4] Market Context - The shift in strategy occurs amid declining electric vehicle (EV) sales and brand challenges for Tesla, particularly following Musk's political engagements [8] - Despite these challenges, Musk is attempting to reassure investors about Tesla's future in autonomy, even as the robotaxi launch has faced difficulties [9]

Summary of TSMC Conference Call Company and Industry - **Company**: TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) - **Industry**: Semiconductors, specifically focusing on automotive semiconductors and AI technologies Key Points and Arguments Tesla Foundry Orders - TSMC's key customer, Tesla, has signed a **US$16.5 billion** chip contract with Samsung Electronics, which is expected to have limited impact on TSMC's earnings per share (EPS) assumptions for 2027 [2][4] - The new AI5 chip, set to launch in January 2026, will be manufactured using TSMC's **3nm process node** and is projected to deliver **4-5 times** higher performance than its predecessor, AI4 [2] - Future manufacturing of Dojo 3 ASIC chips may be challenging for Samsung due to the complexity of TSMC's system on wafer technology [2] China Smart/AI Car Development - TSMC is positioned to benefit from the growth of smart and AI cars in China, with Alchip being a key design service partner for Li Auto, designing a **5nm autonomous chip** [3][10] - The contribution of auto semiconductors to TSMC's revenue was **5%** in Q2 2025, with an estimated **2-3%** of total revenue linked to China’s smart/AI car market [12] Business Impact and Revenue Projections - The shift of some Tesla orders to Samsung is expected to result in a **1% loss** of TSMC's projected revenue for 2027, assuming a **US$2 billion** foundry opportunity per year [6] - TSMC will continue to produce cloud AI semi chips for Tesla and x.AI, which may contribute an additional **0.5%** to TSMC's 2027 revenue [6] Strategic Insights - TSMC does not aim to capture **100% market share** in leading-edge foundry services, as customers typically require a second source for better pricing and support [5] - TSMC's pricing flexibility is limited compared to its peers due to its technology leadership, and it is cautious about entering captive foundry relationships [5] Valuation and Market Outlook - TSMC is rated as **Overweight** with a target price of **NT$1,388**, representing a **20% upside** from the closing price of **NT$1,160** on July 31, 2025 [8] - The company is expected to maintain a strong EPS growth trajectory, with projected EPS of **NT$84.20** for 2027 [8] Risks and Considerations - Potential risks include increased competition leading to pricing pressures, slower-than-expected demand for AI semiconductors, and challenges in maintaining high gross margins [17][21] - Upside risks involve stronger-than-expected demand for AI chips and successful project wins in the hyperscaler market [18] Other Important Content - TSMC remains a top pick in the semiconductor sector, with a favorable industry outlook driven by advancements in AI and automotive technologies [12] - The conference call highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships and technological advancements in maintaining TSMC's competitive edge in the semiconductor market [10][12]

Strategic Partnership - Tesla 与 Samsung 签订价值 165 亿美元的协议，将在德克萨斯州建立工厂，生产下一代 AI6 芯片 [1] AI Development - 该合作将增强 Tesla 的 AI 未来发展 [1] Supply Chain - 有助于加强供应链，减少延误 [1] Application - 为汽车、机器人和数据中心提供动力 [1]

Partnerships & Technology - Tesla is collaborating with Samsung to manufacture the next-generation AI6 chip at Samsung's Texas facility [1]

Strategic Partnership - Tesla has selected Samsung to manufacture its next-generation AI6 chip [1] - The multi-year deal is valued at $165 billion for Samsung [1] - Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, signals a focus on driverless cars and robots, potentially impacting short-term profits [1] Technological Advancement - The A16 chip is integral to Tesla's self-driving vehicle initiative [2] - Tesla collaborated with Samsung to optimize the chip's manufacturing [2] Industry Impact - This contract is significant for Samsung, aiding in its expertise development [3] - Samsung has been facing challenges recently [2]

For Elon Musk and Tesla, this represents a valuable opportunity to gain real-world foundry experience at an exceptionally low cost — something TSMC would never allow. It enables Tesla to enhance its chip design capabilities, particularly in manufacturability, while also gaining deeper manufacturing knowledge, which will give them more leverage in future negotiations with foundries. In the long run, Elon Musk's businesses will only demand more advanced chips, so acquiring core manufacturing expertise becomes ...

Strategic Collaboration & Technological Advancement - Elon Musk and Tesla have a significant opportunity to engage in wafer fabrication at a very low cost, enhancing chip design capabilities and future bargaining power with foundries [1] - Mastering core chip manufacturing technologies is a strategic advantage for Elon Musk's ventures in the long term, given the increasing demand for advanced chips [1] - Tesla's AI6 chip, expected to be in mass production in 2027, will utilize Samsung's 2nm (SF2) advanced process [1] - Samsung's new Texas fab will be dedicated to making Tesla's next-generation AI6 chip, highlighting its strategic importance [2] Manufacturing & Production Risks - Samsung's SF2 process currently has a yield of 40-45%, lower than TSMC's N2 (over 70%) and Intel's 18A (50-55%) [1] - It is difficult to predict whether Samsung can smoothly mass-produce AI6 with SF2 as scheduled, despite the use of GAA technology similar to SF3 [1] - The worst-case scenario for Tesla if AI6 production is not as expected is to transfer orders back to TSMC and bear the impact of AI6 delays [2] Competitive Advantages & Business Models - If AI6 can be mass-produced smoothly, chip design and manufacturing will be a core competitive advantage for Elon Musk's ventures, allowing for more flexible planning and lower costs [2] - Samsung has identified a new business model that allows customers to participate in manufacturing, even if it cannot fully catch up with TSMC in advanced processes [2] - TSMC will manufacture AI5, which has just finished design, initially in Taiwan and then Arizona [3]