Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) is produced in collaboration with companies such as Broadcom and TSMC, but a recent report suggests that the search giant is in talks with Samsung to hand over part of the production to the Korean tech company.
According to a report by The Information, citing people familiar with the matter, Google has begun talks with Samsung about using its chip manufacturing capacity for the next generation of Tensor AI chips. Google’s upcoming TPUs are reportedly codenamed “Icefish” and will be produced using Samsung"s 2-nanometer process technology.
Meanwhile, Samsung is expected to produce only a portion of the next-generation Tensor chips, with most of the production remaining at TSMC. The Information says the new Tensor chips are currently in the design stage and are scheduled to enter mass production in 2028.
TSMC is generally considered one of the most reliable chip manufacturing partners and is trusted by tech giants such as Apple and Google. However, the growing demand for TSMC’s AI chips, combined with the company’s focus on meeting demand from AI data centers, has reportedly prompted Google to seek additional manufacturing partners for its next-generation TPUs.
Besides Samsung and TSMC, Intel could also be assigned part of the production. The Information reported this week is that Google has begun talks with Intel to produce up to three million TPUs in 2028. However, this is not the first time Google has partnered with Samsung on chip production, as Samsung has previously manufactured Tensor chips for Pixel smartphones.
Google’s Tensor Processing Unit is used in cloud data centers and competes with NVIDIA’s chips, which currently dominate the market. By relying on in-house chips, Google can not only reduce its dependence on third-party providers but also create new revenue opportunities. The company has already supplied its TPUs to the AI firm Anthropic.