Elon Musk Says Teslas With AI5 Will Not Be Available In 'Sufficient Volume' Until Mid 2027: Why It Matters

In a post on social media platform X, Musk confirmed that his current focus every Saturday is on the AI5 chip.

"AI5 will not be available in sufficient volume to switch over Tesla production lines until mid 2027, as we need several hundred thousand completed AI5 boards line side," he said.

While the AI5 chip will be a significant upgrade to the intelligence capabilities in Tesla cars, the delay means that the EV giant's transition to these new chips will take longer than initially anticipated.

Work On AI6 Already Underway

Musk also mentioned that work on the AI6 chip has begun. He shared that Dell Technologies Inc. CEO Michael Dell was present during the review, having met with Musk just before the session.

Musk said that Tesla will have samples and likely a small number of units of the AI6 chip in 2026, but high-volume production would only be possible in 2027.

"AI6 will use the same fabs, but achieve roughly 2X performance. Aiming for a fast follow to AI5, so hopefully mid 2028 for volume production of AI6," he said in another post on X.

Here's Why It's Important

The delay in AI5 chip production is a significant development for Tesla, especially given Musk’s previous efforts to expedite chip production timelines. Musk has been actively pressuring partners like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Samsung Electronics Co. to accelerate their production processes, emphasizing that a five-year timeline is too long for Tesla’s rapid innovation pace.

In October, Musk announced that Samsung would co-produce the AI5 chip alongside TSMC, marking a strategic shift to diversify production sources and enhance capacity. This collaboration was intended to mitigate risks and ensure a steady supply of chips, but the recent delay indicates ongoing challenges in meeting Tesla’s timelines.

Cathie Wood of ARK Invest highlighted the AI5 chip's potential as a transformative technology for Tesla. Sharing business advisor Brian Roemmele’s post on X, Wood wrote, "If @BrianRoemmele thinks #Tesla’s A15 chip will be a big deal, then it will be a big deal."

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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