BusinessJune 14, 2026
tape-out
/ˈteɪpˌaʊt/
Definition
The final stage of the integrated circuit design process, where the completed design is sent to the manufacturing facility for production.
Etymology
The term originated in the 1970s from the practice of storing circuit designs on physical magnetic tape, which was then delivered to a fabrication plant. While physical tapes are no longer used, the term persists as the industry standard for the design-to-manufacturing handoff.
In the news
In the article, Tesla's completion of the 'AI5 inference chip tape-out' signifies that the chip design was finalized and cleared for mass production, marking a major technical milestone.
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