On August 5, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visited the SK Hynix headquarters at the Icheon Campus in Gyeonggi Province to inspect the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production line. This visit comes at a crucial time as SK Hynix has been mass-producing 5th generation HBM3E 8-layer products since March, positioning itself as a key player in the high-performance memory market.
During his visit, Chairman Chey emphasized the importance of forward-thinking in the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry. “SK Hynix is currently recognized in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market, but competition will become even fiercer next year when the 6th generation HBM (HBM4) is commercialized,” he stated. His visit is seen as an effort to instill a sense of urgency among the workforce regarding the upcoming competition.
The competitive landscape is indeed heating up. Samsung Electronics has announced plans to supply 12-layer HBM3E products to customers in the second half of this year, coinciding with SK Hynix’s planned fourth-quarter delivery. This sets the stage for a fierce battle between the two South Korean giants in the high-bandwidth memory market.
SK Hynix is virtually the only memory company currently supplying HBM3E products to NVIDIA, a dominant player in the artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator market. This partnership underscores the strategic importance of HBM technology in AI applications, which require high-performance memory to function efficiently.
Addressing the recent AI bubble theory, Chairman Chey remarked, “AI is an unstoppable trend,” and stressed the need for continuous innovation. “We must rigorously think about next-generation products,” he added, highlighting the company’s commitment to staying ahead in the technology race.
An SK representative echoed this sentiment, stating, “In addition to the current focus on AI fields such as HBM, we will grow into a company that provides total AI solutions.” This indicates SK Group’s broader strategy to expand its footprint in the AI sector, beyond just memory products.
As the industry braces for the commercialization of 6th generation HBM (HBM4) next year, the stakes are higher than ever. Chairman Chey’s visit and his call for innovation underscore the urgency and importance of staying ahead in this fast-paced, competitive market.
