Report: Samsung Developing 4nm Chip for Brain-Computer Interface Company Neuralink
nashnova research
Samsung Foundry has begun developing Neuralink's fourth-generation brain-computer interface chip on its 4nm process, codenamed Project 01, with mass production targeted for late next year — the Musk ecosystem is becoming a meaningful growth driver for Samsung's foundry business.
What exactly is Samsung building for Neuralink?
Samsung's foundry division is developing Neuralink's next-generation chip, aiming to produce its fourth-generation BCI chip on a 4nm process node.
The project is codenamed 01. Development began late last year; roughly a month ago it advanced from pure R&D into test-chip production.
This means → the chip is no longer just a design on paper — sample wafers are running on an actual production line, with mass production targeted for late next year.
Why Samsung and not TSMC?
Samsung chose its 4nm process that has been in mass production for over six years, with yields above 80%.
This is Samsung's first Neuralink-related order. Neuralink's chips were not previously manufactured by Samsung.
In plain terms = a BCI chip goes inside a human body, so reliability is paramount. Picking a mature line with six-plus years of proven yield is more practical than chasing the most advanced node.
How busy is Samsung's 4nm line right now?
As of Q2 2026, Samsung's 4nm line is running at full capacity.
Key customers include Nvidia and Google for AI chips. The same line also produces the logic base die for HBM4 — the next-generation high-bandwidth memory chip, where the logic base die is the control-circuit layer at the bottom of the stack.
This means → Neuralink's order may be modest in volume, but it squeezed onto a line that AI giants have already filled. Samsung's willingness to take it signals that it values the long-term lock-in with the Musk ecosystem.
What does the Musk ecosystem mean for Samsung?
Samsung was already working with Musk's Tesla on automotive chips. Taking on the Neuralink project extends the relationship from cars into brain-computer interfaces.
Beyond Neuralink's Project 01, Tesla's next-generation AI chip is also reportedly set to enter production at Samsung's Taylor, Texas fab in 2027.
This reflects a broader pattern: the Musk ecosystem is becoming a meaningful growth driver for Samsung Foundry — not a one-off order, but an expanding portfolio of engagements.
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