Tesla has signed a $16.5 billion deal with Samsung to manufacture its most innovative chip yet – the AI6. The partnership marks a big milestone in Tesla’s evolution from a carmaker into a full-fledged AI and robotics powerhouse.
According to Elon Musk, Samsung’s sprawling new semiconductor facility in Texas will be dedicated to producing Tesla’s AI6 chip. Thise next-gen chip isn’t just about self-driving cars, intact, it’s built to power everything from Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system, to Optimus humanoid robots, to advanced AI data center operations. In short, it’s a single chip to drive Tesla’s entire AI ecosystem.
The AI6 chip, also known as Hardware 6, follows a lineage of Tesla’s custom silicon, a strategy that began in 2019 when it moved away from Nvidia’s Drive platform to launch its own FSD Computer (Hardware 3), also made by Samsung. Tesla’s current AI5 chip, designed for the FSD system, is being manufactured by TSMC in Taiwan and Arizona.
For Samsung, this deal is more than a lifeline. After struggling to land big clients for its semiconductor business, winning Tesla’s trust marks a massive revival in its chip ambitions. According to Musk, the final bill may far exceed $16.5 billion, as “actual output is likely to be several times higher.”
Musk confirmed that Tesla will actively assist Samsung in optimizing fab efficiency, even adding that the new facility is “conveniently located” near his residence.
As Tesla races toward building a vertically integrated AI empire, this chip deal will be the backbone of Tesla’s future in autonomy, robotics, and high-performance computing.
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