Samsung Foundry Sees Surge of Inquiries From Google, AMD, BYD and Other Chip Customers
Industry interest in Samsung reflects pressure on TSMC capacity and could shift where advanced AI and auto chips are made if Samsung proves it can meet volume and yield requirements.
Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Wednesday that Samsung Foundry has received early-stage requests from major firms including Google, AMD, BYD, Tesla and Nvidia-backed Groq for advanced-node (about 5nm and below) production.
- Google is said to be discussing Samsung for parts of its Tensor Processing Units and for its next-generation Axion accelerators, which the company is targeting around 2028, though no contracts have been signed.
- Groq already manufactures recent chips at Samsung, and other companies are exploring a multi-sourcing strategy that would split production across TSMC, Samsung and in some cases Intel to secure future supply.
- The rush to Samsung reflects tight advanced-node capacity at TSMC; only TSMC, Samsung and Intel currently make cutting-edge chips at commercial scale and new fabs take years and heavy investment to build.
- All reports emphasize these talks are preliminary and that converting inquiries into production depends on Samsung resolving past yield and execution issues and on customers adapting designs and packaging for a different process.