# Musk Says China Could Close AI Compute Gap Within Two to Three Years

By Sonny Jang

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/people/23241
Published: 2026-09-23T12:00:04.000Z
Updated: 2026-09-23T12:00:04.000Z

Elon Musk said China could address its shortage of artificial intelligence computing capacity within two to three years, a timeline that depends on progress in lithography and chip manufacturing.

In an interview released Sept. 23, Musk said China’s AI models are performing near the global top when measured against the computing power they use. “China is by far the best in terms of performance per unit of compute,” he said.

Musk also said China would resolve its computing constraints “faster than most people expect.” He linked that progress to improvements in lithography, the process used to manufacture semiconductors, and domestic chip production.

The comments distinguish between AI efficiency and the total amount of computing capacity available. Performance per unit of compute measures how much output an AI model can produce from a given amount of processing power, while the broader capacity question depends on access to advanced chips and the ability to manufacture them.

Musk did not identify a specific chipmaking milestone or name a particular lithography system as the basis for his two-to-three-year estimate. His comments instead tied the timeline broadly to China’s ability to advance semiconductor production.

The interview also included remarks about Tesla. Musk described Tesla’s Shanghai factory as “a gem.” Tesla’s Shanghai factory is its largest overseas production base.