Samsung Electronics’ $16.5 billion deal to fabricate Tesla’s next-generation AI6 processors has gained new weight after Tesla shut down its Dojo supercomputing crew, a transfer extensively seen as an indication the electrical carmaker will lean extra on exterior chip companions. The event, studies The Korea Herald, is a doable deepening of ties between the South Korean tech big and the US automaker.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed final week that the corporate will now give attention to creating its AI5 and AI6 chips, customized processors constructed for self-driving expertise and AI workloads, quite than splitting sources on completely different designs. “It would not make sense for Tesla to divide its sources and scale two fairly completely different AI chip designs,” Musk wrote on X, including, “The Tesla AI5, AI6 and subsequent chips can be glorious for inference and not less than fairly good for coaching. All effort is concentrated on that.”
Dojo, launched in 2021 with Tesla’s customized D1 chip, was meant to energy the corporate’s Autopilot, Full Self-Driving programs, and Optimus humanoid robotic. However Bloomberg reported that Musk ordered the crew to disband, reassigning engineers to different tasks, together with knowledge facilities. The shift will improve Tesla’s reliance on companions corresponding to Nvidia, AMD, and Samsung Electronics, the report famous.
In July, Samsung introduced a report $16.5 billion contract to supply Tesla’s AI6 chips via 2033 at its Taylor, Texas, plant. Musk known as the disclosed determine “simply the naked minimal,” hinting that the ultimate worth might be greater. He additionally revealed holding a video name with Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong “to go over what an actual partnership could be like.”
Lee, who has been within the US because the July 29 assembly with enterprise leaders, is now on the heart of hypothesis a couple of doable assembly with Tesla’s high executives.
“Previously, foundries solely shared processes and manufacturing, however they’re now evolving to additionally share design,” an business official mentioned. “Samsung has long-standing capabilities in design, so there are various areas the place it might collaborate with Tesla.”
Printed on August 12, 2025
Keep forward of the curve with NextBusiness 24. Discover extra tales, subscribe to our publication, and be a part of our rising neighborhood at nextbusiness24.com