Tesla Reportedly Taps Samsung for Next-Gen Dojo Supercomputer Chips
The strategic partnership between Tesla and Samsung appears to be deepening, with the electric vehicle maker reportedly awarding the South Korean tech giant a contract to manufacture chips for its third-generation Dojo supercomputer project. This development follows a significant $16.5 billion agreement signed in July 2025, where Samsung committed to producing 2nm chips for Tesla, and marks another step in the growing collaboration between the two industry leaders.
Expanding the Semiconductor Partnership
Since the landmark $16.5 billion deal for 2nm chip production, Tesla and Samsung have been working increasingly closely, with the EV manufacturer granting Samsung several additional contracts. The latest reported agreement involves chips for Tesla's Dojo 3 supercomputer, which is designed to train artificial intelligence models for the company's Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature. This training utilizes vast amounts of data collected from Tesla's global fleet of vehicles.
While Samsung would handle the chip manufacturing under this arrangement, reports suggest that Tesla has assigned the packaging portion of the process to Intel, indicating a multi-vendor approach to this critical component of their AI infrastructure.
Strategic Shift in Chip Sourcing
Tesla previously sourced chips for its first and second-generation Dojo supercomputers from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). However, the company's decision to potentially shift to Samsung for the third generation appears driven by several strategic considerations.
Industry analysis suggests that Tesla's Dojo project requires chips in relatively smaller quantities compared to TSMC's other major clients. With TSMC's production capacity heavily committed to larger volume orders, the Taiwanese foundry may not be able to provide the active front-end and back-end support that Tesla requires for its specialized Dojo 3 project.
In contrast, both Samsung and Intel are reportedly eager to secure additional orders and may be more willing to offer the comprehensive support Tesla needs. This factor, combined with the existing close working relationship between Tesla and Samsung following their 2025 agreement, likely influenced the decision.
Broader Implications for the Semiconductor Industry
This development represents more than just another contract for Samsung. Successfully manufacturing chips for Tesla's advanced Dojo supercomputer would significantly enhance Samsung's reputation in the competitive semiconductor foundry market. A high-profile partnership with an innovator like Tesla could help attract additional customers seeking cutting-edge chip manufacturing capabilities.
For Tesla, diversifying its chip suppliers for critical AI infrastructure represents a strategic move to ensure supply chain resilience and access to specialized support. The Dojo supercomputer is central to Tesla's ambitions for autonomous driving, making reliable and advanced chip manufacturing crucial to their long-term roadmap.
Conclusion
The reported expansion of the Tesla-Samsung partnership to include Dojo 3 chip manufacturing underscores the evolving dynamics in the semiconductor industry, where specialized needs and strategic relationships are becoming increasingly important. As Tesla continues to push the boundaries of automotive AI, its collaboration with Samsung represents a significant alliance between automotive and semiconductor innovation. While neither company has officially confirmed the Dojo 3 arrangement, the pattern of deepening cooperation suggests both are committed to leveraging their respective strengths in pursuit of technological advancement.