Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, stated that the $16.5 billion (approximately 22.8 trillion won) semiconductor foundry contract with Samsung Electronics could result in an actual production volume several times greater than the announced figure.
On the 27th (local time), Musk said on X (formerly Twitter), "The $16.5 billion is only a minimum figure, and the actual production volume is likely to be much higher." Samsung Electronics had announced on the 28th that it had signed a total foundry contract worth $16.5 billion with a global company.
This contract stipulates that Samsung Electronics will exclusively produce Tesla's next-generation AI6 chips at its newly constructed advanced semiconductor plant in Texas, United States. Musk commented, "This plant will be dedicated to producing Tesla's AI6 chips," and emphasized, "Its strategic importance cannot be overstated." Currently, Samsung is manufacturing the AI4 chip, while TSMC plans to produce the completed-design AI5 chip first in Taiwan and later at its Arizona plant.
Tesla is expected to be directly involved not only as a customer but also in improving production efficiency. Musk stated, "Samsung has agreed to allow Tesla to help maximize production efficiency," and added, "I plan to personally inspect the production lines to increase speed." He further mentioned, "The plant is also located close to my home."
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