HardwareJul 12, 2026, 5:25 AM

Memory giants race to expand AI chip capacity - The Korea Herald

30-second summary

Samsung and SK Hynix are rapidly expanding AI-focused memory chip production to meet the soaring demand from data centers and AI workloads.

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Key takeaways
  • Samsung and SK Hynix are rapidly expanding AI-focused memory chip production to meet surging demand from data centers.
  • The companies are investing in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other specialized chips to support AI workloads.
  • Geopolitical factors, including U.S. export controls, are accelerating South Korea's focus on AI memory production.
  • The investments aim to strengthen South Korea's role in the global AI chip supply chain.
Full story

South Korea's leading memory chip manufacturers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are accelerating their investments in AI-specific memory production. The move comes as data centers worldwide ramp up their AI workloads, driving unprecedented demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other specialized chips. Samsung has announced plans to double its HBM production capacity by 2025, while SK Hynix is expanding its advanced memory lines to cater to AI applications.

The expansion reflects a broader industry trend, with global memory suppliers pivoting toward AI-driven markets. Analysts note that AI workloads require memory solutions that can handle massive data throughput and low latency, making traditional DRAM and NAND less suitable for these tasks. As a result, companies are investing heavily in HBM and other next-generation memory technologies to stay competitive.

The race to scale AI memory capacity is also influenced by geopolitical factors, including U.S. export controls on advanced semiconductors to China. This has pushed South Korean firms to focus on domestic and allied markets, further boosting their AI memory initiatives. The investments are expected to solidify South Korea's position as a critical supplier in the global AI chip supply chain.

Why this matters
Developers

AI developers will benefit from increased availability of high-performance memory solutions for training and inference tasks.

Businesses

Companies investing in AI infrastructure will see improved access to specialized memory chips, reducing bottlenecks.

Investors

Investors should watch for growth opportunities in memory chip manufacturers catering to the AI market.

Everyone

The expansion highlights the critical role of memory chips in powering AI advancements.

Glossary
HBM
High Bandwidth Memory, a type of DRAM designed for high-speed data processing in AI and high-performance computing.
Sources · 1
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