Intel has secured Tesla as a customer for its specialized module-level packaging services, signaling that billions of investments and years of development are appealing to external Foundry Customers. Tesla's Dojo 3 initiative will see Samsung Electronics Foundry manufacture the custom D3 AI-training chips. At the same time, Intel handles the packaging and testing using its Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) technology, which connects multiple dies through silicon bridges rather than a full-wafer interposer. This dual-vendor approach diverges from Tesla's previous reliance on TSMC for both fabrication and System-on-Chip packaging. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that Samsung will focus on mass-producing the next-generation AI6 chips on a 2 nm process, and that the packaging will leverage Intel's EMIB platform.

Tesla's decision rests on the unique demands of its ultra-large Dojo modules, which pack multiple 654 mm² dies into a single array. Traditional packaging methods struggle to handle such sizes efficiently. TSMC's SoW solution faces capacity constraints amid high demand for CoWoS services. Intel's EMIB offers higher modularity, allowing Tesla to tailor interconnect layouts and integrate additional features as needed. Samsung's 2 nm node, paired with Intel's assembly expertise, provides Tesla with optimized yield, cost control, and a faster ramp-up for its AI infrastructure. This collaboration between two historic rivals is unusual, but much needed for both foundries to survive TSMC's competition. By splitting fabrication and packaging, Tesla aims to accelerate production for its full-self-driving systems, robotics ventures, and data-center operations.

More...