Intel and Softbank work in a more efficient memory than hbm for

Without boasting, Intel has teamed up with the Japanese Giant Softbank to develop a new memory solution that is able to break HBM technology as the preference component for IA accelerators. The project is also attended by the University of Tokyo, according to Nikkei Asia.

The two companies and the educational and research institution together formed a startup called Saimemory, entirely dedicated to the effort to create an alternative to HBM. The industry’s hype on top of IA has greatly increased the search for the High-Bandwith Memory, and memory manufacturers have harvested the advantages of it.

This is why Intel and Softbank are interested in developing an alternative, also based on the stacking of DRAM chips. Companies intend to reach a product that can halve energy consumption over HBM.

An alliance that can grow

Saimemory’s idea is to take advantage of Intel’s expertise with practical development and release of chips and combine this with academic research and patents in memory at the University of Tokyo. Softbank comes with the investment, having already guaranteed about 3 billion yen for the startup – the equivalent of US $ 21 million, or more than $ 119 million.

The idea is to have the first prototypes of the new most efficient memory than HBM by 2027, with estimated mass production for 2030. For this, the project can attract more investment from companies such as Riken Research Institute and Shinko Electric Industries.

Also according to information from Nikkei Asia, companies plan to seek public investment from the government of Japan. Thus, some extra advantage should be guaranteed for the local use of the new technology.

Intel’s new memory will it take revenge where HMC failed?

Techpowerup people are well remembered a project of over ten years behind Micron, called HMC (Hybrid Memory Cube).

The technology was announced in 2011 and promised up to 20 times more performance than DDR3, the most current DRAM chips at that time. Intel itself showed interest in HMC, but the project was not forward and was completely closed in 2018.

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In recent years the explosion of IA has only consolidated the positioning of HBM in the market, making it even greater challenge.

However, AI processing demands high energy spending, so Intel may have a chance to draw a lot of attention if its new memory can actually deliver twice as much efficiency without sacrificing performance much.