Samsung is moving closer to bringing Tesla’s next-generation in-house AI chips into production, as a new report indicates its massive semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas is preparing to switch on some of the most advanced chipmaking equipment in the world.
According to a report from the Korea Economic Daily (KED), Samsung plans to start trial operation of its EUV, or extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment, at its Taylor, Texas fabrication plant in March. This milestone is aimed at laying the groundwork for mass production of Tesla’s AI5 and AI6 self-driving chips in the second half of 2026. (via Sina)
Samsung’s Taylor facility is one of the largest semiconductor projects in North America. The site spans about 4.85 million square meters, making it larger than Samsung’s combined chipmaking footprint in Pyeongtaek and Hwaseong, South Korea.
Construction is now in its final stages, with roughly 7,000 workers active on site each day, including about 1,000 already operating out of the plant’s office building, according to the report.
To accelerate the ramp, Samsung is said to be preparing an application for a temporary occupancy permit from Texas authorities. If approved, this would allow limited production to begin before the facility is officially completed, shaving valuable months off the timeline for customer deliveries.
The push comes as Tesla accelerates its internal silicon roadmap. CEO Elon Musk said last week the AI5 chip design is nearly complete, with AI6 already in early development. Tesla is aiming for an aggressive design cycle, targeting roughly nine-month between future chips, including AI7, AI8, and AI9, which will be used for Optimus and space-based AI compute, according to Musk.
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