OpenAI Partners With Samsung to Develop Next-Generation AI Chips

OpenAI is deepening its strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics to include the joint research and production of custom AI hardware. This move signals a broadening of the startup's semiconductor supply chain strategy.

This collaboration shifts OpenAI’s hardware roadmap, which previously relied on a design partnership with Broadcom and manufacturing through TSMC. The company’s earlier effort, the 'Jalapeno' chip, was unveiled in June 2026 as a cornerstone of its initial attempt to reduce dependence on third-party silicon providers.

"One of the areas where we have made the most progress and gained the most recognition with Samsung Electronics is our joint production and research on the next-generation chips we are developing," said Harrison Kim, General Manager of OpenAI Korea, in a statement.

Expanding the Hardware Ecosystem

By engaging Samsung, OpenAI is diversifying its manufacturing footprint. The 'Jalapeno' project remains a focal point for the company’s current infrastructure, but the new work with Samsung suggests a multi-vendor approach to specialized AI silicon. This strategy mirrors efforts by other hyperscalers, such as Google and Microsoft, to design custom ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) that are optimized for the requirements of large language model training and inference.

Enterprise Adoption in South Korea

Beyond hardware development, the partnership is bolstered by a rapid increase in software integration within Samsung’s own operations. According to a report from CNBC-TV18, Samsung Electronics has become one of the largest global deployments of ChatGPT, with internal teams utilizing the platform across research and development, marketing, and sales departments.

This trend is reflected in broader regional data. As of the end of August 2026, the use of ChatGPT Enterprise among South Korean companies and institutions surged approximately 28-fold compared to the same period in 2025.

What Is at Stake for AI Infrastructure

For OpenAI, the ability to control the hardware stack is critical to managing the costs of compute power required to train frontier models. By securing direct manufacturing relationships with major foundries like Samsung, the company aims to insulate itself from the supply constraints that have historically hampered the availability of high-end GPUs. The success of this dual-track strategy, which balances proprietary chip design with large-scale enterprise software adoption, will dictate the company's ability to maintain its competitive position in the coming fiscal cycles.