Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing to begin key equipment test runs at its long-awaited Taylor, Texas, semiconductor plant as early as March, a move that would pave the way for production of Tesla’s upcoming AI5 chip later this year. The update comes from a report by Sina Finance, citing sources familiar with the project.
According to the report, Samsung plans to start trial operations of its extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment at the Taylor facility in March. EUV tools are a critical component of advanced chip manufacturing, and successfully bringing them online would mark a major milestone for the plant. These tests are said to support full-scale production of Tesla’s AI5 chips starting in the second half of 2026.
The Taylor factory is Samsung’s first wafer fabrication facility in the United States and spans roughly 4.85 million square meters. Construction is now nearing completion, with reports suggesting around 7,000 workers are currently involved at the site, including about 1,000 staff already operating out of the facility’s office building. Samsung is also reportedly preparing to apply for a temporary occupancy permit, which would allow limited production to begin before the plant is fully finished.
The timing lines up neatly with Tesla’s aggressive AI hardware roadmap. CEO Elon Musk said just days ago that the AI5 chip design is “almost done,” while early development on its successor, AI6, is already underway. AI5 — also known as Hardware 5 — is expected to deliver up to a 50x improvement over the current AI4 hardware powering Full Self-Driving. Tesla is targeting a roughly nine-month development cycle for future AI chips beyond AI5.
Previous reports have indicated that both Samsung and TSMC will manufacture versions of Tesla’s AI5 chip, with TSMC handling a 3nm variant and Samsung targeting an even more advanced 2nm process. Tesla has also already signed a massive $16.5 billion deal with Samsung to produce the AI6 chip in the U.S., which Musk has previously described as potentially “the best AI chip by far.”
Beyond AI processors, Samsung is also deepening its relationship with Tesla, including plans to supply 5G modems for the company’s Robotaxi fleet. With EUV testing around the corner, Samsung’s Texas plant appears poised to become a key pillar in Tesla’s AI future.
