Samsung to Make Tesla AI Chips in $16.5 Billion Multiyear Deal

📌 What Just Happened

• On July 28, 2025, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that Samsung Electronics has secured a $16.5 billion, multiyear contract to manufacture Tesla’s next-generation AI6 chips. The agreement spans through the end of 2033
• The chips will be fabricated at Samsung’s new, advanced foundry in Taylor, Texas, part of a broader investment under the U.S. Chips and Science Act.

🔍 Why It Matters

• It’s the largest single‑customer foundry deal in Samsung’s history—valued at about 7.6% of its 2024 revenue.
• The contract promises to rescue Samsung’s struggling foundry division, which has faced production delays, low yields, and client losses to industry leader TSMC.
• In response, Samsung’s stock climbed around 6%, reflecting optimism about its turnaround prospects through 2026 and beyond. 

🤝 Strategic Alignment

• Musk emphasized that Tesla will aid in optimizing manufacturing efficiency, personally walking production lines to accelerate output and quality improvements. 
• The Texas fab is conveniently located near Musk’s residence in Austin, underscoring the logistical and strategic synergy. 
• Technologically, AI6 marks the next step in Tesla’s roadmap after AI4 (Samsung-made) and AI5 (manufactured by TSMC in Taiwan and Arizona) 

🧩 Broader Implications

• For Tesla, the deal secures a high‑volume, customized supply of AI chips crucial for its autonomous driving systems, humanoid robots, and data-center training initiatives. 
• For Samsung, it’s a pivotal win to re-establish credibility in logic chipmaking and leverage its $40 billion Texas facility to compete more effectively with TSMC. 
• Some industry analysts caution that the contract—coming as a lifeline—could be highly favorable for Tesla, with concerns about profitability for Samsung given yield issues at the Texas site. 

🧾 Journalist’s Summary

• The $16.5 billion through‑2033 deal between Tesla and Samsung marks a major turning point in the AI chip supply chain.
• It illustrates Tesla’s drive to internalize chip control and diversify away from third-party chipmakers like Nvidia and TSMC.
• For Samsung, the deal is a lifeline and credibility boost—a chance to stabilize its foundry operations and secure long‑term demand.
• The involvement of Musk in manufacturing oversight and the location of the fab near his home suggest the deep strategic importance Tesla places on this partnership.
• But uncertainties remain—profit margins, yield performance, and production scale are critical variables that could shape how the pact plays out over the next decade.

📰 Must-Follow Angles

• Production ramp-up and yield performance at the Taylor, Texas facility.
• Pricing terms and margins—public insights may emerge in future earnings reports.
• How this deal influences Samsung’s ability to attract new foundry customers.
• The progress and capabilities of Tesla’s AI6 chips in real-world deployment.