Pete Bannon, Tesla's vice president of hardware design engineering, is leaving the company after joining in 2016 from Apple. His departure, confirmed by CNBC, follows the reported dissolution of Tesla's Dojo supercomputer team, which Bannon led and directly reported to Elon Musk. This shift is part of a broader restructuring within Tesla's AI initiatives, as Musk has been emphasizing the company's transformation from solely an electric vehicle manufacturer to a player in artificial intelligence and robotics.
Dojo was a significant part of this strategy, designed to process and train AI models using extensive data collected from Tesla vehicles. Musk had previously expressed expectations that Dojo would operate at scale by next year, aiming to enhance Tesla's advanced driver assistance systems and fulfill promises of converting existing vehicles into robotaxis.
In July's earnings call, Musk outlined Tesla's ongoing projects, including a $16.5 billion deal with Samsung to produce more A16 chips domestically. Tesla is currently testing a Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, which requires a human supervisor in the vehicle, and operates a related service in San Francisco with human drivers.
Musk also addressed potential competition between Tesla and his AI-focused company, xAI, clarifying that they target different objectives within the AI landscape. He noted that while engineers may leave Tesla for opportunities in AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), the company remains focused on practical AI applications for its vehicles.
Tesla has seen a notable turnover in its leadership this year, with several high-profile departures, including those of its head of robotics engineering and a vice president of software engineering. Tesla did not provide immediate comments regarding Bannon's exit.