Samsung to supply Tesla chips in $16.5 billion deal through 2033

Samsung Electronics has signed a landmark $16.5 billion semiconductor supply deal with Tesla, according to CEO Elon Musk — a move that could reshape the chipmaking landscape and revive the South Korean giant’s struggling foundry business. Musk confirmed on Monday that the multi-year contract would see Samsung manufacture Tesla’s next-generation AI6 chips, dedicated to autonomous and AI computing. He added that Samsung’s upcoming fab in Taylor, Texas, would be at the heart of the deal, calling its strategic value “hard to overstate”.

The agreement comes at a critical moment for Samsung, which has been losing market share in advanced chipmaking to Taiwan’s TSMC and facing mounting losses in its contract manufacturing division. According to Reuters, the foundry business recorded losses of over 5 trillion won ($3.63 billion) in just the first half of 2025. Samsung had initially announced the 22.8 trillion won ($16.5 billion) deal without naming the client, citing confidentiality clauses. However, multiple sources told Reuters that Tesla is the customer, and Musk later confirmed this publicly on X.

Boost for Samsung’s Texas ambitions

The deal is expected to run until the end of 2033 and signals a possible revival of Samsung’s delayed Texas project. The Taylor fab has faced construction delays and a lack of major clients. Musk said Tesla would help “maximise manufacturing efficiency” and that he would “walk the line personally” to accelerate production.

The plant’s location also holds personal significance. “It’s conveniently located not far from my house,” Musk wrote.

Race for AI chip dominance

Samsung, the world’s largest memory chip maker, has been under pressure in the race to develop AI-focused semiconductors. While it is investing in 2-nanometre technology, analysts believe the Tesla order is unlikely to use the cutting-edge node just yet. Still, the contract is seen as a vote of confidence in Samsung’s roadmap.

As per Bloomberg Intelligence, the deal could boost Samsung’s foundry sales by 10 per cent annually over the contract period. This may help Samsung claw back some ground in the global foundry market, where its share has slipped to just 7.7 per cent, compared to TSMC’s dominant 67.6 per cent, according to TrendForce.

TSMC currently serves industry heavyweights such as Apple, Nvidia and Qualcomm, making it the default choice for high-end chip fabrication. Samsung has been struggling to attract similarly lucrative clients, and the Tesla contract marks a rare strategic breakthrough.

Geopolitical implications

The timing is significant. South Korea is currently in trade negotiations with the United States, seeking to avoid or reduce potential 25 per cent US tariffs on exports such as ships and electronics. A high-profile chip partnership with an American automaker like Tesla could play to Seoul’s advantage in upcoming discussions.

Meanwhile, the US continues to encourage onshore semiconductor production as part of its broader tech decoupling strategy. The Tesla-Samsung deal, centred around a US-based fab, aligns with Washington’s goal of reshoring advanced chipmanufacturing.

(With inputs from the agencies)