Tesla is primed for growth due to its lead in AI, despite a crop of "fast followers" eager to copy the EV makers' designs in China, according to Piper Sandler. The investment firm, which has an overweight rating on shares, raised its price target to $500 from $400. That implies about 17% upside from Friday's close. "Vertically integrated Chinese OEMs may be Tesla's #1 competitive threat. But when it comes to 'real world' A.I., these companies look to Tesla for guidance – not the other way around," analyst Alexander Potter said Sunday in a note to clients. That AI technology powers Tesla's robo-taxi fleet and its Optimus humanoid robots—two businesses that are poised to grow the company's bottom line over the next few years. Tesla's robo-taxi business, for example, is already expanding into

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