Samsung Forms AX - PI Team to Build Robots for Chip Fabs

Korean media report that Samsung has assembled a dedicated team to design and deploy robots for its semiconductor manufacturing plants, a move aimed at boosting automation across its chip fabs. The effort is linked to the companys broader push to raise operational efficiency at scale.

The unit, named AX/PI, sits under the Global Manufacturing & Infra Technology unit of Samsung's semiconductor division. AX is said to refer to AI transformation and PI to process innovation. A related image shows Samsung Foundry's Shin Jong-shin delivering a keynote at the SAFE Forum 2026 in Korea.

The team is reportedly stocked with many employees who previously worked at the companys equipment technology research institute. After a 2024 reorganization scattered those researchers into various technology organizations focused on manufacturing processes, Samsung is said to have pulled many of them back together to concentrate on robotics for fab automation.

According to the reports, the first area targeted for automation will be equipment maintenance, a task now handled on site by engineers and contractors. Development work is described as being in early stages, with teams mapping routes for robots to travel, defining work areas and drafting specifications for parts storage.

Efficiency and a potential new product line

Robots are described internally as a key part of Samsung's future growth strategy. Company officials have positioned a renewed focus on robotic fab automation not only as a way to raise efficiency inside Samsung's own fabs but also as a commercial opportunity to offer those solutions to other chipmakers.

Reports emphasize that the program remains nascent, with planning concentrated on navigation, workspace layout and component handling specifications.