Samsung wins first Neuralink contract for brain chip

Samsung began developing Neuralink’s next-gen brain chip, codenamed “O1,” with test chip production starting last month and shipments targeted for early 2027.sammobile
The fourth-generation chip enables two-way brain-device communication, a leap beyond earlier versions that only read brain signals, according to reports.wccftech
The deal shifts manufacturing away from TSMC ↗6.94% and expands Samsung’s foundry ties with Musk after a $16.5 billion Tesla ↗1.04% chip contract.forbes

Samsung Wins First Neuralink Chip Contract for Next-Gen Brain Implant

Samsung Electronics has secured its first chip development contract from Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company, marking another expansion of the Korean tech giant’s relationship with Musk-linked ventures.

A New Partnership in Brain-Computer Interfaces

Samsung Foundry has begun research and development on Neuralink’s fourth-generation brain implant chip, according to a report from the Korea Economic Daily. The project carries the internal codename “O1” and will be manufactured using Samsung’s 4nm process technology.sammobile

Samsung began work on the chip in late 2025, with production of the first test chips starting last month. The company aims to ship the initial batch of test chips in the first half of 2027, with mass production expected to begin in the second half of that year if testing proceeds as planned.wccftech

The fourth-generation chip represents an advancement over previous Neuralink iterations. While earlier chips functioned by interpreting brain signals and relaying commands to external devices, the new version is designed for two-way communication — capable of sending data from devices back to the brain to activate physical actions. One potential application includes restoring vision by stimulating brain neurons.wccftech

TSMC Sidelined as Musk Deepens Samsung Ties

The contract appears to shift Neuralink’s chip manufacturing away from TSMC, which produced the third-generation Neuralink chip. The move may be driven in part by TSMC’s supply constraints amid overwhelming demand from AI companies like Nvidia.wccftech

The Neuralink deal builds on Samsung’s existing $16.5 billion multiyear contract with Tesla to manufacture AI6 inference chips for autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots, and AI data centers at Samsung’s Taylor, Texas facility. That deal, announced in July 2025, runs through the end of 2033.forbes

Foundry Revival Ambitions

For Samsung, the Neuralink contract adds to a growing roster of high-profile foundry clients as the company works to revive a division that has struggled with persistent losses. Samsung projects its foundry business will achieve profitability by 2028. The company plans to invest a record 110 trillion won in chip capacity expansion and research this year as part of a broader push to compete in the AI semiconductor era.bloomberg

Neuralink, which Musk said would begin “high-volume production” of brain-computer interface devices in 2026, has implanted its devices in at least 12 patients with paralysis as part of its clinical trials.reuters