Google in talks with Samsung to make next-gen AI chip

Google is negotiating with Samsung to manufacture part of its next-generation TPU v10 "Icefish" AI chip on Samsung's 2nm process, according to The Information.theinformation
TSMC would still fabricate the core compute die on its 1.4nm node, while MediaTek is co-designing the chip for mass production around 2028.theinformation+1
The deal would boost Samsung's struggling foundry business and follows Google's recent move to also tap Intel for TPU packaging, as hyperscalers scramble for AI chip capacity.chosun+1

Alphabet's Google is in discussions with Samsung Electronics to manufacture part of its next-generation tensor processing unit, codenamed "Icefish," as tightening capacity at the world's leading chipmaker forces the search giant to diversify its supply chain, according to a report published Wednesday by The Information.theinformation

Under the proposed arrangement, TSMC Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited would fabricate the most computationally demanding component of the chip using its advanced 1.4-nanometer process, while Samsung would produce the memory input/output die on its 2-nanometer process technology. The chip, designated internally as TPU v10, is co-designed with MediaTek and could enter mass production around 2028.statementdog+2

A Lifeline for Samsung's Foundry Business

The potential deal would mark a turning point for Samsung's contract chipmaking division, which has struggled to win major orders from leading technology companies. Samsung's foundry has invested heavily in its 2-nanometer gate-all-around technology and expanded capacity at its Taylor, Texas facility. The company announced plans earlier this year to spend a record 110 trillion won on chip capacity expansion and research in 2026.bloomberg+1

The talks come even as Google recently moved its Pixel smartphone chip production from Samsung to TSMC for the Tensor G5, a decision reported to have been a "shock" to the South Korean company. Winning a portion of Google's high-volume TPU production would help offset that loss and validate Samsung's advanced process capabilities.reddit

Google's Expanding Manufacturing Strategy

The Samsung discussions are part of a broader effort by Google to secure chip production capacity as demand for AI accelerators surges. Earlier this month, The Information reported that Google had tapped Intel to produce more than 3 million TPUs by 2028, though JPMorgan analysts characterized Intel's role as likely limited to advanced packaging rather than chip fabrication.wccftech+2

Google unveiled its eighth-generation TPUs — the TPU 8t for training and TPU 8i for inference — at Google Cloud Next in April. Supply chain research indicates MediaTek is also participating in the Icefish design, building on its growing role as a key partner in Google's custom silicon roadmap. Analysts at Counterpoint Research project combined TPU shipments could approach 5 million units by 2028, representing more than tenfold growth from 2026 levels.siliconangle+4

The multi-foundry approach reflects the broader reality facing hyperscale cloud providers: with TSMC's most advanced nodes increasingly oversubscribed, even its largest customers must look elsewhere for portions of their chip production.

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