- Plan less power memory to make Soft Bank and Intel South Korea’s HBM rival
- Semimori aims to launch 2030 but it is facing a major delay in the market
- Intel and Soft Bank already spread in AI chips and tech investments
Soft Bank and Intel are allegedly forming a team for a new type of AI -based high bandwidth memory, which they hope South Korean tech giants will compete with HBM products manufactured by Samsung and SK Hanks.
A report from Nikki AsiaClaims that the pair aims to make stacked drum chips with a new structure of wiring, compared to existing HBM chips, which reduces electricity consumption by half.
The move will be led by a new company called Semimori, which is expected to be a prototype within two years, and will be targeted before 2030.
It’s too late?
Despite technical desire, timeline is a serious challenge. Samsung and SK Hanks are already ahead of many products and dominate the HBM market globally. When the Simmori brings its alternative to the market, current players are likely to increase their lead.
An executive of the Softbank told Nikki Asia If this project is successful, “we want a priority to supply,” reflect how the initial phase effort remains.
The purpose of memory is for use in AI data centers, where energy consumption and high -thropped are increasing concerns. The Softbank hopes that new chips will provide large -scale AI training at a more efficient and low cost.
The strong chains of domestic supply can also reduce Japan’s dependence on Korean suppliers.
Nikki Asia Japan once held more than 70 % of the global drum market, but came out of South Korean and Taiwan players’ day. Japan’s last drama manufacturer, Elipida, went bankrupt in 2012 and was acquired by Micron, which is currently looking for a large piece of Billion 100 billion HBM pies.
Soft Bank is the largest investor in Samimori, with 3 billion yen shares in the 10 billion yen project. Intel is contributing to technology, while the University of Tokyo and other Japanese educational institutions are providing patents. Government assistance is also being considered.
Although this is a promising effort, both the Soft Bank and Intel still have a lot on their plates. Intel is managing its foundry expansion, pushing AI chips forward, and trying to claim again on the CPU market share. The soft bank focuses on expanding the arm and increasing its AI investment portfolio.
