Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has taken to his X (formerly Twitter) account to announce the recruitment of individuals with semiconductor expertise from South Korea to aid in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) chips. In a post, Musk included 16 South Korean flag emojis, highlighting his commitment to hiring local talent for the company's AI strategy. This announcement aligns with Tesla Korea's job posting, made just before Musk's announcement, seeking an 'AI Chip Engineer' capable of contributing to the development of world-class AI chips through large-scale production.

The rationale behind Tesla's direct hiring in South Korea stems from its growing need for a stable semiconductor supply. While Tesla currently sources chips from major companies like Samsung Electronics and Taiwan's TSMC, Musk has stated that for future projects, including full self-driving (FSD) and humanoid robots, a greater supply of semiconductors is necessary. To ensure the success of these projects, Tesla requires not just plentiful semiconductor resources, but a self-sufficient supply chain as well. This is reflected in Musk's recent remarks about constructing a 'Terafab' semiconductor manufacturing facility in the U.S., underscoring the strategic importance Tesla places on semiconductor production.

Additionally, Tesla has previously engaged in a significant contract with Samsung Electronics worth $16.5 billion for the contract manufacturing of AI chips, indicating a strong partnership focused on semiconductor production. As Tesla aims to enhance its AI capabilities and maintain its competitive edge, recruiting directly in Korea demonstrates a proactive approach to ensuring adequate supply and talent for its ambitious technological pursuits, reinforcing the interconnectedness of the global semiconductor industry and automotive innovation.