Tesla Stock Rises As Investors Weigh AI, Robotaxi Plans And China Rebound: What's Going On?

Tesla Inc TSLA shares climbed 3.15% to $345.14 Thursday afternoon, extending momentum from a volatile month driven by high-stakes announcements and global developments.What To Know: Investor sentiment has been buoyed in recent sessions by CEO Elon Musk's confirmation of “Colossus 2,” a massive AI supercluster powered by Tesla Megapacks and clean energy, to be built in Memphis by Musk's xAI startup. While the million-square-foot project drew praise for its ambition, it sparked environmental justice concerns due to reported emissions from nearby unpermitted gas turbines.Read Also: Gary Black Calls Tesla Rival Baidu’s Apollo Go ‘Autonomous Ride Hailing Leader’ Following Eleven Million Paid Robotaxi Rides MilestoneAdding to the optimism, Musk reaffirmed Tesla's plans to roll out robotaxis in Austin, Texas this June, starting with 10 vehicles and aiming to scale significantly by 2026. Regulatory uncertainty looms, but a recent visit from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy signaled potential support for a national framework on autonomous vehicles.What Else: Meanwhile, Tesla's China operations showed signs of recovery, with insurance registrations rising to 11,130 last week, up from 3,100, easing some investor concerns about weakening global demand.Despite losing the top EV sales spot in Europe to BYD in April, Tesla stock has remained resilient. Continued dominance in ETFs like ARKK and DRIV could also serve as evidence of strong institutional faith in its AI, robotics and autonomy strategy.Short-term headwinds remain, including Cybertruck inventory and political controversies, but investors appear to be focused on Tesla's long-term innovation trajectory.Read Also: CoreWeave Stock Hits All-Time High Amid AI Momentum, Strategic DealsHow To Buy TSLA StockBesides going to a brokerage platform to purchase a share – or fractional share – of stock, you can also gain access to shares either by buying an exchange traded fund (ETF) that holds the stock itself, or by allocating yourself to a strategy in your 401(k) that would seek to acquire shares in a mutual fund or other instrument. For example, in Tesla’s case, it is in the Consumer Discretionary sector. An ETF will likely hold shares in many liquid and large companies that help track that sector, allowing an investor to gain exposure to the trends within that segment.According to data from Benzinga Pro, TSLA has a 52-week high of $488.54 and a 52-week low of $167.41.Photo courtesy of Tesla