Tesla resumes Dojo 3 project after AI chip progress

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the company will restart work on the Dojo 3 project after making progress on the design of its AI5 chip. Musk shared on X that Tesla is also seeking applicants for roles related to “the highest-volume chips in the world.”

Last week, Musk said the design of the AI5 chip was nearly complete, with AI6 still in early development. Tesla previously partnered with Samsung Electronics to produce its next-generation AI6 chip under a US$16.5 billion agreement, which was seen as significant for Samsung’s foundry business.

The Dojo project, which focused on an in-house supercomputer for driverless vehicle development, was halted last year.

Musk indicated that the project is being resumed but did not specify a timeline or further details.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Key technical and financial details for Tesla’s AI chip and compute roadmap remain unclear

The manufacturing process node for the AI6 chip that Tesla has said Samsung Electronics Co. will produce has not been named in the provided materials.
Without that node, chip speed, energy use, and pricing versus competitors cannot be judged with confidence.
A firm schedule for volume output has not been provided, even though Musk has said the AI5 chip design is “almost done.” On Tesla’s Q3 2025 earnings call, Musk said Tesla is aiming to have its next-generation “AI5” hardware “in production at the end of next year” and scale production in 2026 1.
Spending set aside for Dojo3, or for any linked AI data centers, has not been disclosed in the provided materials. That gap makes comparisons harder against Tesla’s 2025 capital expenditure guidance, which was described as “in excess of $9 billion” on Tesla’s Q2 2025 call 2.

Data center suppliers can use public records to anticipate Tesla’s build-out

Vendors that sell high-density power gear, liquid cooling systems, or build services may find new demand if Tesla expands AI infrastructure.
Suppliers can track public filings instead of waiting for press releases, which can shorten the path to bids.
Interconnection requests filed with grid operators like ERCOT (the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages most of Texas’ power grid) can hint at a site and its megawatt needs. Tesla has said it is building out a 50,000-GPU cluster at Giga Texas’ south expansion 1.
Building permits and grid paperwork can help firms map timing and reach out earlier.