[News] Tesla Reportedly Weighs Doubling AI6 Output, May Add Samsung Orders Ahead of Executive Talks

Tesla is reportedly exploring plans to expand production of its AI6 chip, a move that could lead to additional orders for Samsung. According to The Elec, industry sources say senior Tesla procurement executives are expected to visit Samsung Electronics this week to discuss increasing foundry capacity for the 2nm AI6 chip.

The report notes that Tesla has already conveyed a request to Samsung for additional production capacity. Under the agreement signed last year, the original contract called for about 16,000 wafers per month in wafer input. Tesla is now seeking an extra 24,000 wafers per month, and the upcoming visit is expected to focus on negotiating detailed supply terms based on that request.

If finalized, the agreement could lift total production to roughly 40,000 wafers per month. As the report highlights, such volume would help secure early utilization at Samsung Electronics’ fab currently under construction in Taylor, Texas.

If Tesla increases its order volume, Samsung’s revenue could also rise. As the report notes, Tesla signed a foundry agreement with Samsung Electronics last year to produce the AI6 chip. The contract runs through December 31, 2033, and is valued at approximately 22.8 trillion won (about $17 billion). Since the additional orders currently under discussion exceed the previously agreed volumes, the total contract value could increase further.

Tesla’s AI6 Chip Strategy and Samsung’s Taylor Fab Ramp

The AI6 chip is expected to support multiple Tesla platforms. As the report indicates, industry sources believe it will be used not only in vehicle autonomous driving systems but also in the humanoid robot Optimus and Tesla’s in-house AI data centers. In addition, the AI6 cluster is expected to assume the role previously planned for Tesla’s Dojo AI supercomputer, which the company effectively put on hold last year. Industry observers say the chips will likely be deployed in cluster configurations, with multiple chips integrated on a single server board.

The report notes that Tesla had assigned production of AI5 to both TSMC and Samsung, but for AI6 the company has chosen Samsung as the primary manufacturer. Tesla is reportedly pursuing a “No China, No Taiwan” strategy for some key component suppliers, encouraging certain partners to avoid sourcing components from those regions to reduce potential supply chain risks.

Meanwhile, Samsung is reportedly expanding its workforce at the Taylor plant. According to Financial News, Samsung Electronics is accelerating hiring ahead of the fab’s planned start of operations this year. The company aims to increase the Taylor workforce to around 1,500 by year-end, before gradually expanding to about 1,800 to support full-scale production.

Read more

• [News] Delay at Samsung’s Taylor Reportedly Slips Mass Production to 2027, Raising Concerns for Tesla
• [News] Samsung Reportedly Secures Partial Taylor Fab Use Approval, Timeline May Move Up

(Photo credit: Samsung)