SK hynix, Sandisk set first HBF standard for AI memory

SK hynix and Sandisk have unveiled the first industry standard for high bandwidth flash, seeking to accelerate adoption of a new class of memory designed to bridge the widening performance and capacity gap between high bandwidth memory and solid-state drives. The specification, released Tuesday and due to be presented when the Future of Memory and Storage 2026 conference opens later in the day in Santa Clara, California, defines HBF products with capacities of up to 512 gigabytes and bandwidth r

2026-08-04 14:27:11:00

Korea to cover up to 100% of chip cluster infrastructure costs

South Korea will cover up to 100 percent of the cost of building power, water and other infrastructure for designated semiconductor clusters under enforcement rules approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday. The decree for the country’s special semiconductor law will take effect Aug. 11, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said. Under the rules, the central and local governments may shoulder between 50 percent and 100 percent of the total cost of building and operating the infrastructure need

2026-08-04 14:26:00:00

AI boom raises patent stakes for Korean chipmakers

The artificial intelligence chip boom is opening a new legal front for South Korean chipmakers, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix facing a US class action alleging they coordinated cuts in conventional DRAM supply while shifting capacity toward more profitable high-bandwidth memory. The lawsuit, which also names US memory chipmaker Micron Technology, claims the companies’ production decisions constrained conventional DRAM supply and drove up prices. John Quinn, founder and chairman of US lit

2026-08-04 11:25:56:00

AI demand lifts MLCC profits — and Chinese rivals

The AI boom is turning multilayer ceramic capacitors into a major profit engine, with leading suppliers raising prices, locking in long-term orders and racing to expand capacity as data center demand outstrips supply. But the rush toward premium MLCCs is reshaping the industry beyond artificial intelligence. As Korean and Japanese suppliers shift production to higher-margin components for AI servers and vehicles, Chinese manufacturers are moving quickly to capture the smartphone and consumer ele

2026-08-03 15:00:47:00

SK sells control of wafer maker SK Siltron to Doosan for W2.3tr

SK Inc. agreed to sell its controlling stake in semiconductor wafer maker SK Siltron to Doosan Corp. for about 2.3 trillion won ($1.6 billion), freeing up cash as the conglomerate reshapes its portfolio and invests in new growth businesses. SK’s board approved the sale of its 70.6 percent stake Friday, clearing the way for the two companies to sign a share purchase agreement. Doosan was named preferred bidder in December. The stake being sold comprises 51 percent held directly by SK and another

2026-07-31 17:54:42:00

SK hynix hits daily limit as chip stocks extend dramatic rebound

SK hynix shares hit their daily upper limit Friday, as South Korean chipmakers extended a sharp rebound following a recent market rout. The stock surged 29.95 percent to 1,718,000 won ($1,203) in afternoon trading on the Kospi, briefly touching the 30 percent ceiling after opening 28.37 percent higher. South Korea limits daily stock-price movements to 30 percent in either direction, a threshold the Korea Exchange raised from 15 percent in June 2015. The rally came a day after SK Group Chairman C

2026-07-31 14:47:28:00

KT, DeepX, Sesol team up on NPU-based edge AI systems

KT said Friday it has signed a three-way collaboration agreement with on-device AI chipmaker DeepX and edge computing firm Sesol to jointly develop NPU-based artificial intelligence edge systems for use in transportation and industrial sites. Under the agreement, the companies will work together on a next-generation AI Edge Box powered by low-power, low-heat neural processing units, or NPUs, and expand on-device AI services to electric vehicle charging stations, mobile surveillance systems and t

2026-07-31 13:20:30:00

LG unveils Korea’s largest AI model with 750 billion parameters

LG AI Research unveiled South Korea’s largest homegrown artificial intelligence model on Friday, a system with 750 billion parameters -- more than three times the size of its predecessor -- as the conglomerate steps up efforts to build a globally competitive AI platform. The new model, K-Exaone 2.0, was released on open-source platform Hugging Face under the Apache 2.0 license, allowing developers and companies to use it commercially without charge, LG said. It is the second model developed by L

2026-07-31 13:20:18:00

Samsung bets on Texas expansion as memory shortage stretches into 2028

Samsung Electronics is accelerating its US chip expansion, bringing its first Taylor, Texas, foundry online this year and starting construction of a second fab by year-end as soaring AI demand strains advanced-chip capacity. Announcing record quarterly earnings Thursday, the chipmaker warned that the memory shortage is likely to worsen next year as leading-edge foundry capacity struggles to keep pace with surging demand, prompting it to accelerate expansion at its fab in Taylor. The company als

2026-07-30 08:56:02:00

SK hynix rejects peak fears after record quarter

SK hynix pushed back Wednesday against concerns that the AI memory boom is nearing its peak, citing five-year supply agreements, sustained Big Tech investment and growing demand beyond high-bandwidth memory. On its second-quarter earnings call, the chipmaker said it has completed long-term supply agreements with 10 customers, giving it greater visibility as it commits tens of trillions of won to new capacity. “We expect AI infrastructure investment to remain solid beyond next year as competition

2026-07-29 19:59:43:00