NVIDIA's CEO has requested SK Hynix to speed up the delivery of next-gen HBM4 memory by up to six months, as Team Green can't wait for the next phase of AI.
NVIDIA Plans To Present AI Solutions Based On HBM4 Much Quicker Than Competitors, Ultimately Capitalizing On The Hype
For those unaware, HBM4 is probably seen as the "gateway" towards moving into the next era of AI computational power, mainly since the memory type is expected to be developed to allow manufacturers to significantly upscale the capabilities of future AI products. In a new report by Reuters, NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang has formally requested SK Hynix's Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, at the SK AI Summit held in Seoul, to initiate the delivery of HBM4 memory six months before the expected delivery times in an attempt to have an early lead on the process.
SK Hynix has said that HBM4 is originally scheduled for delivery by H2 2025, so Jensen is probably looking to get hands-on with the memory chips at the beginning of 2025.
The reason behind the request hasn't been specified yet, but it is likely a "precautionary" move by NVIDIA, given that the integration of HBM4 in next-gen architectures, notably Rubin, will bring in manufacturing complexities since HBM4 is "much more" important component for next-gen AI GPUs, NVIDIA is eager to avoid any sort of design flaws with the release of Rubin, to prevent what it had encountered with Blackwell.
HBM4 is also called a "multi-functional" HBM memory since, with this particular standard, the industry has decided to integrate memory and logic semiconductors into a single package, which means that there won't be a need for packaging technology and given that individual dies would be much closer to this implementation, it would prove to be much more performance efficient. The memory process involves semiconductor companies like TSMC in the manufacturing process, and with no need for packaging technology, it will surely ease the pressure on the CoWoS supply chain.
SK Hynix has already been said to have taped out HBM4, which means the company is far from the mass-production process. Competitors such as Samsung and Micron are too in the race to develop HBM4, but by the looks of it, the spotlight is all towards SK Hynix for now.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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