OpenAI to Debut First AI Chip in 2026 With Broadcom Partnership
OpenAI will launch its first in-house artificial intelligence chip in 2026 through a partnership with U.S. semiconductor leader Broadcom (AVGO.O), according to the Financial Times. The chip will be used internally to power OpenAI’s own AI systems rather than being sold to external customers, people familiar with the matter said.
The move reflects OpenAI’s push to diversify away from Nvidia, whose GPUs currently dominate AI computing, and to lower infrastructure costs amid surging demand for training and running large-scale AI models like ChatGPT. OpenAI has previously collaborated with Broadcom and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) on design and fabrication, while also supplementing with AMD and Nvidia chips.
Reuters earlier reported that OpenAI was finalizing the design of its first custom silicon, to be manufactured at TSMC, with a focus on reducing reliance on outside suppliers. By developing its own chip, OpenAI joins rivals Google, Amazon, and Meta, which have already rolled out proprietary processors to handle escalating AI workloads.
The timing of the news coincides with Broadcom CEO Hock Tan’s announcement on Thursday that the company had secured over $10 billion in AI infrastructure orders from a new unnamed customer, set to drive significant revenue growth in fiscal 2026. Industry watchers say OpenAI could be that customer, given its scale and need for dedicated compute.
If successful, the partnership would not only help OpenAI gain greater control over its AI infrastructure but also cement Broadcom’s position as a leading custom silicon provider in the generative AI era.
