TSLA · 10-Q · 2026Q3 · Full report

R&D Investment in AI

Tesla, Inc. · 2026-10-22 · Importance 83 · Surprise 82

Tesla increased research and development expense by $2.45 billion, or 53%, to $7.08 billion in the nine months ended September 30, 2026. The increase primarily reflected spending on super-intelligence and other programs, including Optimus, silicon development, battery technologies and new vehicle programs, together with a $511 million increase in stock-based compensation. Management states that heavy investment in SI, software and fleet-based profits will negatively affect profitability during this development phase.