SK Hynix forecasts strong AI memory chip growth
Customised HBM chips tailored to AI workloads are predicted to become a multibillion-dollar market by 2030.
South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix forecasts that the market for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, vital for AI, will expand by 30% annually until 2030. Demand growth is driven by cloud giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, boosting AI investments and memory needs.
HBM chips are specialised dynamic RAM designed for ultra-fast data processing with low energy use. SK Hynix’s head of HBM business planning, Choi Joon-yong, highlighted the strong link between AI infrastructure growth and HBM chip purchases.
Customised HBM products, tailored to specific AI models and workloads, are expected to form a multibillion-dollar market by 2030.
The upcoming HBM4 generation introduces client-specific ‘base die’ layers, allowing performance to be fine-tuned to match exact customer requirements. Such customisation builds strong supplier-client ties, benefiting SK Hynix and strengthening partnerships with key customers like Nvidia.
SK Hynix remains confident despite short-term price pressures from a potential oversupply of HBM3E chips. The company believes the launch of HBM4 and rising demand for tailored solutions will sustain growth.
Given its significant US manufacturing investments, geopolitical factors such as proposed US tariffs on foreign chip imports have had a limited impact on SK Hynix.
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