Elon Musk aims to position Tesla as a leader in AI and robotics, which he has stated will require significant investments in Nvidia’s advanced AI processors, but internal emails reveal otherwise, CNBC reports.
On Tesla’s first-quarter earnings call in April, Musk announced plans to increase the number of Nvidia’s H100 chips from 35,000 to 85,000 by the end of the year and projected $10 billion in AI-related expenditures for 2024. However, internal emails from Nvidia indicate that Musk redirected a substantial shipment of AI processors, initially reserved for Tesla, to his social media company X (formerly Twitter). The emails also highlight Musk’s efforts to build extensive AI infrastructure for xAI, aiming to establish the world’s largest GPU cluster. This decision delayed the delivery of over $500 million worth of GPUs to Tesla, potentially hindering the development of the supercomputers needed for autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots.
Musk’s handling of corporate resources among his companies has led to accusations of conflicts of interest, with Tesla shareholders worried about his commitment to the company. Despite these concerns, Musk continues to emphasize Tesla’s future in AI and robotics, promising innovations like self-driving cars and dedicated robotaxis.
