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Musk’s latest speech at the shareholder meeting discussed not just cars, but the future of humanity.
Tesla held its annual shareholder meeting in Austin, Texas. Musk showcased a dancing humanoid robot on stage and delivered a two-hour speech outlining Tesla’s direction for the next decade: from AI chips to humanoid robots, from autonomous taxis to energy systems, revealing Tesla’s roadmap for the next 10 years.
New Mission: From Sustainable Energy to Sustainable Abundance
Musk humorously opened by saying, “Our shareholder meeting is like a cyberpunk nightclub,” but then shifted gears to propose a new company mission: Tesla will transition from “accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy” to “achieving sustainable abundance for humanity.” In his view, energy is just the starting point; the real goal is to provide everyone with high-quality services, goods, and healthcare at lower costs, with AI and humanoid robots being key to achieving this objective.
Optimus: The Next ‘Smartphone-Level’ Product
Musk believes that Optimus will become a product “larger than a smartphone.” In the future, there could be billions of robots on Earth, covering industrial, service, and personal scenarios. “Everyone will want their own R2-D2 or C-3PO, but Optimus will be smarter and more useful.”
He stated that Optimus is already in use within factories, with the third generation (V3) set to go into mass production next year, with production costs expected to drop to around $20,000, aiming for a long-term goal of millions of units annually. He emphasized that Tesla is already the world’s largest robot manufacturer—”every car is essentially a four-wheeled robot.”
AI Chips: AI5 to Enter Mass Production Next Year, AI6 Performance to Double
Musk detailed the progress of Tesla’s AI chips. The AI5 chip will enter mass production next year, primarily for FSD and Optimus. Its performance is about one-third that of NVIDIA’s Blackwell, but it is more energy-efficient and lower in cost. The chips are being manufactured by Samsung and TSMC in multiple locations, and AI6 is already in design, aiming for double the performance in a year. He humorously remarked, “I dream of chips,” to emphasize the importance of AI chip supply. He mentioned that future suppliers might not meet Tesla’s chip demands, and Tesla may need to build its own large chip factory, considering a partnership with Intel.
FSD: Approaching ‘Eyes Closed Safety’ Version
Musk stated that FSD v14.1 is nearing full autonomous driving safety levels, with v14.2 and v14.3 providing an experience where “you can almost sleep or use your phone while driving.” He noted that FSD’s driving data has exceeded billions of miles, statistically making it several times safer than human driving. He mentioned that European regulations are “like a Kafka novel,” but he believes safety data will ultimately convince regulators. Regarding China, he revealed that full approval is expected around February next year.
Robotaxi: Cybercab Production to Start in April Next Year
Tesla’s fully autonomous taxi, Cybercab, will begin production in April next year. This vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals and is optimized for autonomous driving. Musk stated that the production line’s pace will be close to consumer electronics, with initial production rates of one vehicle every ten seconds, potentially even five seconds in the future. This marks a key transition for Tesla towards autonomous ride-hailing services.
Energy and Batteries: Future Wealth Measured in ‘Watts’
Musk proposed that energy storage will be the core of the future global economy. Tesla is upgrading the 4680 battery and Megapack energy storage system, planning to allow battery packs to directly output high-voltage current to simplify grid access. He stated, “With battery storage alone, the U.S. energy output could theoretically double.” In his view, when energy becomes abundant enough, wealth may no longer be measured in currency but in energy—”watts.”
Production Capacity and Funding
Musk expects Tesla’s production to reach an annualized 4 million units by the end of 2027 and 5 million units by the end of 2028. He mentioned that chips and energy will be the bottlenecks for expansion, and the company currently has over $40 billion in cash reserves, “enough to support any wave of growth.”
Musk’s Humor and Vision
The speech was filled with improvisation and humor; he joked, “Other shareholder meetings can put you to sleep,” and likened Tesla to a “puss in boots,” appearing ordinary but full of potential. He even joked, “If someone commits a crime, just give them an Optimus; it will follow them and prevent them from committing a crime.”
This meeting was not just an update of data but more like Musk’s declaration of the future. From “sustainable energy” to “sustainable abundance,” Tesla is no longer just a car company but has fully transitioned into a grand narrative of AI.
Musk said that Optimus will usher humanity into an era of “sustainable abundance.” Do you think this is a real future or just another Musk-style ideal?