AI memory emerges as new battleground for SK Hynix, Samsung and others

SEOUL/TAIPEI/SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, wearing his trademark black leather jacket and addressing a conference in March in San Jose, did not hide his enthusiasm for high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips. The founder of the company that has become synonymous with artificial intelligence chips called them a "technology miracle" and an essential part of the AI revolution.

The U.S. chip giant produces graphic processing units that power ChatGPT and other cutting-edge generative AI applications. Making those GPUs work to their full potential requires HBM, which Nvidia has, so far, procured mostly from South Korea's SK Hynix. But as demand for AI chips continues to surge, the company is looking to expand its supplier list.