Tesla and Samsung Ink Multi-Billion Dollar Agreement for AI6 Microchip Manufacturing
Tesla has announced a significant partnership with Samsung, Inc. to produce its next-generation Artificial Intelligence 6 (AI6) chip at Samsung's new semiconductor fab in Taylor, Texas. This deal is expected to accelerate the pace of progress for Tesla's autonomous driving software, neural network training, and robotics projects, including the Optimus humanoid robot.
The AI6 chip, built on the Dojo chip architecture, will power Full Self-Driving (FSD), robotics, and AI training workloads at an unprecedented scale. This new chip will unify compute platforms across Tesla's vehicles, Optimus humanoid robots, and data centers.
The strategic implications of this move are massive, as Tesla further tightens its grip on vertical integration in AI and chip design. The partnership consolidates Tesla's computing roadmap, taking the best of Dojo and earlier chips to enable next-gen AI capabilities.
Samsung has agreed to let Tesla collaborate closely on manufacturing efficiency as part of the new deal. This collaboration will allow Tesla to leverage Samsung's advanced 2-nanometer chip fabrication technology, promising substantial improvements in processing power and energy efficiency, which are critical for scaling Tesla’s FSD capabilities and AI functions.
The new semiconductor fab in Taylor, Texas, will be dedicated to AI6 chip production. The $16.5 billion figure represents only a baseline investment, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. He stated that the actual output and long-term value of the deal are expected to be "several times higher."
The upcoming AI5 chip will be produced by TSMC, initially in Taiwan and later at the company's Arizona fab. The AI5 chip, currently used in new Tesla EVs, serves as the backbone for the company's FSD (Supervised) software and other autonomous driving functions.
The strategic importance of this deal is significant, as it secures Samsung as a key production partner for Tesla’s autonomous driving software and AI-driven robotics from 2025 through 2033. This partnership strengthens Tesla’s control over critical AI hardware, enables cutting-edge chip performance improvements, and supports a seamless hardware-software AI ecosystem essential for advancing Tesla's leadership in autonomous driving and AI systems.
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- The Tesla AI6 chip, manufactured by Samsung, will be a significant component in powering Tesla's autonomy efforts, supporting advanced computing workloads for Full Self-Driving, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
- This strategic partnership between Tesla and Samsung, where Samsung will utilize its advanced 2-nanometer chip fabrication technology, is expected to enhance AI capabilities in Tesla's autonomous driving software and robotic projects, including the Optimus humanoid robot.
