Morgan Stanley: Robot clusters to form a 'distributed inference cloud' for SpaceX by 2040

ME AI message: Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas, in his latest research report, presents a market-overlooked insight: by 2040, the distributed computing power of robot clusters may surpass any data center in helping SpaceX achieve its 1 terawatt computing target. Morgan Stanley estimates that by 2040, the total number of robots of all types will reach approximately 2.2 billion units; assuming each robot is equipped with 500 watts of computing power, the combined total would be about 1.1 terawatts, theoretically all connectable via Starlink. Elon Musk previously revealed that Tesla’s AI5 chip designed for Optimus consumes 250 watts, and Morgan Stanley believes this figure will rise over time. This is what Morgan Stanley refers to as the “distributed inference cloud”—a network composed of fixed and mobile edge nodes connected to large-scale data center clusters, forming a hybrid computing architecture. Morgan Stanley notes that Tesla investors are already familiar with this “distributed inference cloud” concept; Musk has repeatedly discussed leveraging idle vehicles and Megapods deployed at Supercharger stations to build a massive distributed computing network. As collaboration between SpaceX and Tesla deepens, SpaceX investors also need to become familiar with this computing deployment logic. Beyond the computing narrative, Morgan Stanley has also tracked SpaceX’s AI model progress—Grok 4.6 has reached a score of 61 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, nearing the current peak of 63, with costs comparable to Kimi K3. Musk stated that Grok 4.7 will be ready in 3 to 4 weeks, and Grok 5 is expected to launch by year-end. Regarding computing pricing, the forecasted weighted average price for Q4 2026 is approximately $31 per watt; however, stress testing shows that if this price persists throughout 2027, it could generate an additional $42 billion in revenue—a nearly threefold increase. Morgan Stanley also emphasized that Starship’s 14th flight is one of the most significant stock price catalysts since SpaceX’s IPO; if the spacecraft is successfully caught by the launch tower for the first time, it will represent one of the most important milestones in aerospace history and unlock new growth opportunities across space, connectivity, and AI businesses. Morgan Stanley’s target price for SpaceX is $300, asserting that proving its ability to maintain a leading position in AI models and convert them into real-world usage is key to achieving a substantial valuation re-rating. (Source: BlockBeats)