ByteDance in Advanced AI Chip Talks with Samsung, Targets End-March Sampling

ByteDance is reportedly developing an advanced AI inference chip and in early manufacturing talks with Samsung Electronics, sources said. Sample units are expected by end-March 2026, with an initial annual target of 100,000 and potential ramp to 350,000. Access to稀缺 memory components from Samsung adds value amid global AI infrastructure growth. A ByteDance spokesperson denied the in-house chip plan without further details. The project, codenamed SeedChip, aligns with the company’s broader AI push, including a Seed unit established in 2023 to develop AI models and applications. ByteDance plans over $22 billion in AI spending this year, with more than half allocated to Nvidia H200 GPUs and advancing its own chip.