Nvidia CEO Urges SK hynix to Expedite HBM4 Chip Supply Amid AI Demand Surge.

Seoul: Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang has requested SK hynix Inc. to accelerate the delivery of its HBM4 chips by six months, as demand for AI computing chips escalates, according to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. Chey disclosed this during his keynote speech at the SK AI Summit 2024 in Seoul, emphasizing the urgency to advance the supply schedule initially set for the latter half of next year. According to Yonhap News Agency, SK hynix is a pivotal supplier of high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to Nvidia, having pioneered the delivery of fifth-generation eight-layer HBM3E chips to the tech giant in March. The company has also commenced mass production of its 12-layer HBM3E chips. Nvidia's AI accelerators, which are increasingly in demand, rely heavily on these HBM chips to perform data and energy-intensive tasks as AI technology progresses. In a session at the SK AI Summit, Nvidia's CEO acknowledged the importance of the partnership with SK hynix through a video message, praising the company's development st rategy as both aggressive and necessary. In response to the growing need for high-performance HBM, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung announced the development of 16-layer HBM3E chips, with production slated for the first half of next year. Chey also highlighted the significant trilateral partnership between SK hynix, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) in strengthening the global AI chip supply chain. He noted the essential role of SK hynix in aligning with Nvidia's advancements in GPUs, which necessitate increased HBM chip production, and stressed the importance of collaboration with TSMC, the leading semiconductor contract manufacturer. During his address, Chey underscored the challenge of developing advanced HBM products while maintaining high yield rates, asserting that close cooperation with Nvidia is critical. He also mentioned the involvement of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and TSMC CEO C.C. Wei, who contributed video messages, with Nvidia's Huang engaging in an online discussion with P rofessor David Patterson from UC Berkeley at the summit.