A groundbreaking partnership unleashes AI-driven innovation in semiconductor manufacturing, paving the way for smarter devices, robots, and global tech dominance.
- AI-Powered Transformation: Samsung is deploying over 50,000 Nvidia GPUs to create an “AI Megafactory” that embeds artificial intelligence into every stage of chip production, from design to quality control, boosting efficiency and yields.
- Digital Twins and Robotics: Leveraging Nvidia’s Omniverse platform, Samsung will build virtual replicas of factories and products for predictive maintenance, while advanced AI robotics enhance automation across manufacturing ecosystems.
- Broader Impacts and Innovations: The collaboration extends to next-gen HBM4 memory chips, AI-RAN networks for physical AI, and a 25-year partnership history, setting new standards for intelligent manufacturing worldwide.
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, Samsung Electronics and Nvidia have announced a partnership that’s nothing short of revolutionary. Dubbed the “AI Megafactory,” this ambitious project isn’t just about building chips—it’s about infusing AI into the very heart of semiconductor manufacturing. Imagine a factory where machines think, predict, and optimize themselves in real-time, turning what was once a labor-intensive process into a symphony of intelligent automation. This collaboration, revealed at the APEC Summit, marks a pivotal moment in the AI industrial revolution, as described by Nvidia’s founder and CEO Jensen Huang: “We are at the dawn of the AI industrial revolution—a new era that will redefine how the world designs, builds, and manufactures.”
At the core of this initiative is Samsung’s plan to integrate Nvidia’s accelerated computing capabilities across its entire chipmaking operations. Unlike traditional AI factories—such as those Nvidia is developing with the U.S. Department of Energy and Oracle, which focus on massive data centers for training AI models—this Megafactory is a purpose-built semiconductor plant. It will embed AI into design, equipment management, operations, and quality control, creating what Samsung calls a “single intelligent network.” By deploying more than 50,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced graphics processing units (GPUs), the facility aims to monitor production environments continuously, predict issues, inform maintenance, and optimize yields. This isn’t a one-off experiment; it’s a yearslong initiative designed to scale manufacturing operations dramatically, starting with semiconductors and expanding to other hardware like Galaxy smartphones, kitchen appliances, and televisions.
One of the standout features of the AI Megafactory is the use of “digital twins”—virtual replicas of physical assets powered by Nvidia’s Omniverse platform. Samsung will create these digital models for every component in its semiconductors, including memory, logic, and advanced packaging, as well as for entire fabrication plants (fabs) and the sophisticated machinery inside them. This virtual environment allows engineers to simulate and visualize operations before they hit the physical production line. They can spot anomalies, plan preventative maintenance, and fine-tune processes to boost efficiency. For instance, in early tests, Samsung’s AI-enhanced optical proximity correction (OPC) process—a critical step for ensuring wafer pattern accuracy—achieved a staggering 20-times improvement in computational lithography performance. This was made possible by Nvidia’s cuLitho and CUDA-X libraries, which accelerated the identification, prediction, and correction of circuit pattern violations.
But the innovation doesn’t stop at design and simulation. Samsung is also revolutionizing electric design automation (EDA), the specialized software used to create new computer chips. By leveraging Nvidia’s hardware and software, the company is developing GPU-accelerated EDA tools that promise massive speedups in circuit simulation, verification, and manufacturing analysis. Partners like Synopsys, Cadence, and Siemens are involved in this effort, reshaping EDA for the AI era. Beyond software, AI will automate physical tasks through intelligent robotics. Samsung is tapping Nvidia’s RTX Pro 600 Blackwell Server Edition and Megatron framework to build advanced AI models that power factory machines and humanoid robots. These models offer superior reasoning capabilities, enabling robots to operate with greater autonomy and precision alongside human workers. Nvidia’s Jetson Thor platform further bridges virtual simulations with real-world data, helping robots perceive their surroundings, make quick decisions, and prioritize workplace safety.
This partnership extends far beyond the factory floor, touching on network infrastructure and next-generation components. Samsung, alongside Nvidia and South Korean telecom giants, is developing AI-RAN technology, which integrates AI into mobile networks to support “physical AI” applications like intelligent robots, drones, and industrial equipment. A proof-of-concept has already been demonstrated, highlighting its potential to enable seamless deployment of AI agents in real-world scenarios. Meanwhile, Samsung is pushing boundaries in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, essential for AI servers. After lagging behind competitor SK Hynix, Samsung is catching up with its HBM4 chips, built on sixth-generation 10-nanometer-class DRAM and a four-nanometer logic base die. These chips boast processing speeds of up to 11 gigabits per second—surpassing industry standards—and are set for production next year, promising superior performance in AI applications.
The roots of this collaboration run deep, spanning over 25 years. From Samsung’s DRAM powering Nvidia’s first graphics card in 1995 to pioneering high-bandwidth memory and today’s HBM3E and HBM4 developments, the duo has consistently driven tech advancements. As Samsung’s executive chairman Jay Y. Lee put it, “NVIDIA has been a visionary of this new AI era, and its technologies have empowered innovators to reinvent industries.” Today, this alliance is accelerating Samsung’s proprietary AI models, which already power over 400 million devices with features like real-time translation and intelligent summarization. Tools like Nvidia’s Isaac Sim, built on Omniverse and Cosmos world foundation models, are connecting synthetic and real data for faster robot deployment, while RTX PRO Servers enable real-time digital twins for logistics optimization and anomaly detection.
From a broader perspective, this AI Megafactory isn’t just a win for Samsung and Nvidia—it’s a game-changer for the global tech landscape. As AI demands soar, efficient semiconductor production becomes crucial for everything from autonomous vehicles to smart cities. By setting new benchmarks in intelligent manufacturing, this project could inspire similar transformations across industries, reducing waste, enhancing safety, and unlocking innovations in mobile devices and robotics. Korea, already a tech powerhouse, stands to solidify its position as a leader in the AI era, potentially influencing supply chains worldwide. Yet, challenges remain: scaling such technology requires immense resources, and ethical considerations around AI-driven automation— like job displacement—must be addressed.
Samsung and Nvidia’s AI Megafactory represents the convergence of intelligent computing and manufacturing, heralding a future where factories aren’t just efficient—they’re alive with AI. As Huang envisions, this could transform not only Samsung but countless industries built on its technologies, propelling us into an age of unprecedented innovation.