Andy Nurman
January 26, 2024
Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that Tesla will be investing $500 million to construct their next-generation Dojo supercomputer in Buffalo, New York. Dojo will be Tesla’s state-of-the-art artificial intelligence training computer, powered either by Tesla’s own custom AI chips or potentially using Nvidia GPUs.
update: “We will spend more than $500 million on Nvidia hardware alone this year,” Elon Musk added. And he said Dojo will utilize cutting-edge AMD chips designed specifically to train deep neural networks, most-likely the MI300 series.
“Tesla’s new supercomputer represents a massive economic development win for Buffalo and an opportunity to position New York State at the leading edge of artificial intelligence technology,” said Governor Hochul during her State of the State address.
The Dojo supercomputer will help establish New York as a global hub for AI research and development. The state government is backing a $275 million Empire AI initiative to attract investments like Tesla’s to the state. Tesla’s Buffalo facility will work closely with nearby universities on AI research projects.
“For years Buffalo has been at the forefront of technological innovation, from pioneering electric vehicles to developing life-saving medical devices like the pacemaker,” the Governor added. “Tesla’s Dojo supercomputer carries this legacy forward into the 21st century.”
Dojo will be key to training the neural networks that power Tesla’s Autopilot advanced driver assistance software. The additional computing power will help Tesla improve Autopilot’s functionality over time using real-world data collected from its vehicles.
With Tesla’s future growth depending heavily on AI and autonomy, Dojo represents a strategic long-term investment for the company. Analysts see it cementing Buffalo’s status as a leading AI tech hub. Tesla’s commitment also indicates promising growth potential for New York State’s high-tech economy.
