Project Dojo Shut Down? No longer needed, I guess? Anybody got any insights?

[dalton108]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-shuts-down-dojo-ai-221950747.html

“Tesla is breaking up the team behind its Dojo supercomputer, ending the automaker’s play at developing in-house chips for driverless technology, according to Bloomberg.

Dojo’s lead, Peter Bannon, is leaving the company, and the remaining team members will be reassigned to other data center and compute projects within Tesla, per Bloomberg’s reporting, which cited anonymous sources.

The disbanding of Tesla’s Dojo efforts follows the departure of around 20 workers, who left the automaker to start their own AI company called DensityAI. The new startup is reportedly coming out of stealth soon and is building chips, hardware, and software that will power data centers for AI that are used in robotics, by AI agents, and in automotive applications. DensityAI was founded by former Dojo head Ganesh Venkataramanan and ex-Tesla employees Bill Chang and Ben Floering.”

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[SCTesla]

It may or may not be true, but DOJO hasn't been a positive or negative for Tesla so far. They mostly rely on Nvidia and Cortex for training. It's not going to hurt Tesla at all.

 

[SCTesla]

Elon basically confirmed it. They will try use the car's AI6 chip from Samsung instead.

 

[Cybertruck26]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-shuts-down-dojo-ai-221950747.html

“Tesla is breaking up the team behind its Dojo supercomputer, ending the automaker’s play at developing in-house chips for driverless technology, according to Bloomberg.

Dojo’s lead, Peter Bannon, is leaving the company, and the remaining team members will be reassigned to other data center and compute projects within Tesla, per Bloomberg’s reporting, which cited anonymous sources.

The disbanding of Tesla’s Dojo efforts follows the departure of around 20 workers, who left the automaker to start their own AI company called DensityAI. The new startup is reportedly coming out of stealth soon and is building chips, hardware, and software that will power data centers for AI that are used in robotics, by AI agents, and in automotive applications. DensityAI was founded by former Dojo head Ganesh Venkataramanan and ex-Tesla employees Bill Chang and Ben Floering.”

…

Article continues.

Wow! I literally just passed up a job for Dojo. Lucky break!

 

[ZillaVilla]

They're just focusing on AI6. I think they're doing this because the fleet (cars and robots) will be the data center.

Grok says:
While both the AI6 chip and the Dojo project are Tesla initiatives aimed at advancing AI for autonomous driving and other applications, they differ significantly in scope, purpose, and execution, reflecting a shift in Tesla’s strategy.

### Key Differences Between AI6 and Dojo:
1. **Focus and Purpose**:
- **Dojo**: Dojo was a custom supercomputer architecture designed specifically for large-scale AI training, particularly to handle the massive datasets required for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) neural networks. It aimed to provide a highly specialized, in-house compute platform to reduce reliance on external hardware like Nvidia GPUs.
- **AI6**: The AI6 chip is a next-generation AI chip intended for inference and training tasks, primarily integrated into Tesla’s vehicles (e.g., for real-time FSD computations) and potentially other AI applications. It’s a more versatile, product-oriented solution compared to Dojo’s focus on a dedicated supercomputing infrastructure.

2. **Design and Production**:
- **Dojo**: Dojo was an in-house effort to build both hardware (custom chips like the D1) and a full supercomputer ecosystem, including software and infrastructure, tailored for Tesla’s AI workloads. It required significant investment in custom silicon and data center design.
- **AI6**: While designed by Tesla, AI6 is being produced by Samsung under a $16.5 billion deal, indicating a reliance on external manufacturing expertise. This suggests a more collaborative approach, leveraging established semiconductor processes rather than building an entirely proprietary system like Dojo.

3. **Strategic Approach**:
- **Dojo**: The Dojo strategy was about vertical integration, with Tesla controlling the entire AI training pipeline to optimize performance and cost for its specific needs. It was ambitious but resource-intensive, requiring a dedicated team and long-term investment.
- **AI6**: The AI6 strategy reflects a pivot toward partnerships and efficiency. By outsourcing production to Samsung and potentially integrating AI6 with broader compute platforms (like the Cortex supercluster), Tesla is diversifying its AI hardware approach, reducing the risk and cost of building everything in-house.

4. **Outcome and Status**:
- **Dojo**: Tesla disbanded the Dojo team in 2025, with leader Peter Bannon leaving and engineers reassigned or moving to other ventures (e.g., DensityAI). This suggests Tesla deprioritized Dojo as a standalone supercomputer, possibly due to cost, complexity, or competitive alternatives.
- **AI6**: AI6 is actively in development, with Musk indicating during the Q2 2025 earnings call that it incorporates some of Dojo’s technological advancements. It’s positioned as a core component of Tesla’s AI roadmap, likely for both in-vehicle and data center use.

### Is AI6 Much Different from Dojo’s Strategy?
Yes, AI6 represents a significant departure from Dojo’s strategy in several ways:
- **Scope**: Dojo was about creating a bespoke supercomputer for AI training, while AI6 is a chip designed for broader applications, including in-vehicle inference and potentially training in more standardized data centers.
- **Execution**: Dojo aimed for full in-house control, whereas AI6 leans on external partnerships (e.g., Samsung), signaling a more pragmatic approach to scaling AI capabilities.
- **Resource Allocation**: The cancellation of Dojo and reassignment of its team suggest Tesla found the project less viable than anticipated, possibly due to competition from Nvidia, AMD, or other established players. AI6, by contrast, aligns with Tesla’s current focus on integrating external expertise to accelerate deployment.
- **Convergence**: While Musk noted some technological overlap (e.g., Dojo’s innovations influencing AI6’s architecture), AI6 is not a direct evolution of Dojo. It’s a more focused, product-driven effort that fits into Tesla’s broader AI ecosystem, including the Cortex supercluster, rather than a standalone supercomputing initiative.

### Conclusion:
The AI6 chip strategy diverges from Dojo’s by prioritizing flexibility, external collaboration, and integration into Tesla’s product lineup over a fully in-house, specialized supercomputer. While Dojo’s innovations may live on in AI6’s design, the shift reflects Tesla’s response to practical challenges and market dynamics, opting for a less resource-intensive path to advance its AI capabilities.

 

[Mini2nut]

And Tesla stock is at $334 this morning.

 

[RayzorBEV]

Tesla and Elon made the right decision to pivot at this point. Especially Tesla's partnership with Samsung and TSMC, plus ties with AMD and Nvidia, Tesla is in a great position to continue to lead by example both in EV and AI.
Like the old Kenny Roger's song 'The Gambler'
"You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run..."

GO Tesla and Elon

 

[dalton108]

Tesla and Elon made the right decision to pivot at this point. Especially Tesla's partnership with Samsung and TSMC, plus ties with AMD and Nvidia, Tesla is in a great position to continue to lead by example both in EV and AI.
Like the old Kenny Roger's song 'The Gambler'
"You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run..."

GO Tesla and Elon

https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-confirms-tesla-ai6-chip-project-dojo-successor/

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