Elon Musk Agrees Tesla AI5 Is 'Golden Key' For Company's Physical AI Era

• Elon Musk said slightly different versions of Tesla’s AI5 chip will be produced by Samsung and TSMC in the U.S., with sample units expected in 2026 and large-scale production in 2027.
• The AI5 chip, which Musk called “40× better” than its predecessor, will power Tesla’s self-driving systems and robotics as part of its shift toward a “Physical AI Era.”
• Musk said AI6 will roughly double AI5’s performance by mid-2028 and emphasized that over 90% of AI computing will occur on Earth’s surface through distributed edge systems.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk described the company’s next-generation AI5 chip as central to its future, agreeing that it represents the “golden key” to Tesla’s Physical AI Era. 

He shared details on a post on X about the chip’s rollout timeline, manufacturing partners, and its role in powering Tesla’s shift toward advanced, real-world artificial intelligence systems.

Next-Generation AI Hardware 

In a series of posts, Musk said slightly different versions of the AI5 chip will be produced by Samsung Electronics and TSMC in the U.S., noting that each foundry translates Tesla’s design “to physical form differently,” but the goal is for its AI software to perform identically across both versions.

He said Tesla expects to have samples and limited units in 2026, with high-volume production targeted for 2027. Musk added that the AI6 chip will roughly double AI5’s performance and is slated for mid-2028, while AI7 will require different fabrication plants due to its more advanced architecture.

Building On Tesla’s AI4 Platform

During Tesla’s third-quarter (Q3)earnings call, Musk called AI5 “an amazing design” and said it will be “40× better than the AI4 chip”, which powers Tesla’s current vehicle and data systems. The company streamlined AI5’s design by eliminating traditional components such as GPUs and image signal processors, integrating them directly into the chip to boost power efficiency.

“This is a beautiful chip,” Musk said at the time. “I’ve poured so much life energy into this chip personally, and I’m confident this is going to be a winner.”

Stocktwits Users Show Bearish Mood

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Tesla was ‘bearish’ amid ‘normal’ message volume.

Tesla’s stock has risen 14% so far in 2025.

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