Tesla is rapidly advancing the development and launch of its next-generation in-house AI chip, the AI5. This marks a major milestone that will shape the future of Full Self-Driving, advanced vehicle intelligence, and even robotics. To make this happen, Tesla is working closely with supplier Samsung. According to a recent report from Sedaily, Samsung is speeding up preparations for AI5 chip production in the United States, bringing in experienced engineers to ensure a smooth rollout of the new program.
What the Tesla AI5 Chip Means for FSD and Robotics
The AI5 chip represents one of the biggest performance leaps Tesla has ever achieved. Compared with the current AI4 (Hardware 4) system, the upcoming AI5 chip is expected to deliver:
- Up to 40× faster AI processing
- 8× more raw compute power
- 9× larger memory capacity
- 3× better performance per watt
These massive improvements are designed to support Tesla’s long-term AI stack—not just Full Self-Driving, but also broader projects such as the Tesla Robotaxi fleet, vehicle-to-cloud AI processing, and the Optimus humanoid robot.
AI5 is expected to enter small-batch production around 2026 and reach full-scale rollout in 2027, making it one of the most important hardware breakthroughs in Tesla’s autonomy roadmap.
Tesla’s Dual-Foundry Strategy: Samsung and TSMC Team Up for AI5
To ensure manufacturing stability and reduce risk, Tesla is using a dual-foundry strategy for the AI5 program, partnering with both Samsung and TSMC.
TSMC is using its 3nm process, reportedly, while Samsung will do a 2nm as a litmus test for the process.
Although differences in manufacturing techniques lead to variations in the physical chip design, Tesla aims to deliver identical behavior and performance at the AI software level.
This dual-foundry approach reflects Tesla’s proactive strategy: strengthening vertical integration, avoiding supply-chain bottlenecks, and scaling rapidly as demand for automotive and robotics AI continues to grow.
Looking Ahead to AI6
The AI5 chip is not the finish line—an even more powerful AI6 chip is already on Tesla’s long-term development roadmap.
