Tesla, the electric vehicle and AI company, has signed a $16.5 billion agreement with Samsung to manufacture its next-generation AI6 chips. Elon Musk confirmed that Samsung’s new semiconductor facility in Texas will be dedicated to producing the AI6 chip, which is designed to support applications ranging from Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system to Optimus humanoid robots and AI training infrastructure. “The strategic importance of this is hard to overstate,” Musk posted on X. The deal marks a shift in Tesla’s semiconductor roadmap, adding Samsung to a supply chain that already includes TSMC, which will fabricate the AI5 chip initially in Taiwan and later in Arizona.
The partnership offers a major boost to Samsung’s chip-making ambitions after previous challenges in scaling its foundry business. Musk hinted that Tesla’s total investment could exceed $16.5 billion and added, “Actual output is likely to be several times higher.” He also revealed that Tesla will assist in enhancing Samsung’s manufacturing processes, stating, “I will walk the line personally to accelerate the pace of progress.” Tesla has used Samsung-made chips since launching its in-house Hardware 3 system in 2019 and is now expanding its chip development as part of a broader shift toward becoming a robotics and AI tech firm.