Tesla has named Gary Jiang, a semiconductor industry veteran with nearly 18 years at Intel, as the director of its Terafab project, a large-scale effort aiming to build a next-generation chip manufacturing plant. Jiang’s appointment, announced via his LinkedIn profile, places him at the helm of the facility development based in Austin, Texas.
The Terafab project targets a vertical integration of semiconductor production and advanced computing fabrication to support Tesla’s broader ambitions in space, artificial intelligence, and robotics. Initial capital investment is estimated at $55 billion, with the potential to reach $119 billion across multiple phases.
Before joining Tesla, Jiang held key leadership roles at Intel, notably managing factory operations for the firm’s Arizona-based 18A chip manufacturing facility. His experience includes overseeing high-volume production lines for Intel’s 22-nanometer and 14-nanometer technologies, qualifying him to navigate the complexities of establishing a cutting-edge semiconductor plant.
Intel, Tesla’s partner on this venture, contributes its 14A chip manufacturing technology, underscoring a close collaboration between the two companies. Jiang’s background at Intel is expected to facilitate effective coordination and communication across the partnership, smoothing the path for this technically demanding project.
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan expressed enthusiasm for working with Elon Musk, highlighting a shared view that semiconductor fabrication capacity has not kept pace with AI-driven demand. Tan indicated that the Terafab initiative would offer valuable learning opportunities for both organizations as they push forward the industry’s frontiers.