Intel and SoftBank’s subsidiary Saimemory announced a collaboration to develop a next‑generation memory technology called Z‑Angle Memory (ZAM), targeting the growing demands of artificial intelligence and high‑performance computing.
Under the agreement, Intel will provide technology, innovation, and standards collaboration, leveraging its Next Generation DRAM Bonding (NGDB) initiative that was developed under the Advanced Memory Technology program. Saimemory will lead commercialization of ZAM and SoftBank is investing approximately ¥3 billion through the prototype phase.
Prototypes are slated for delivery by the fiscal year ending March 31 2028 (FY2027), with commercialization targeted for fiscal 2029. The timeline aligns with the projected maturity of AI workloads that require higher capacity, bandwidth, and lower power than current high‑bandwidth memory solutions.
The partnership addresses a critical bottleneck in AI and HPC: memory performance and power efficiency. By re‑entering advanced memory, Intel positions itself to capture a larger share of the AI chip market and supports its broader foundry strategy, while Saimemory strengthens Japan’s semiconductor competitiveness.
Market reaction to the announcement was positive: Intel’s shares rose 5% in overnight trading and SoftBank’s shares climbed 3.13%, reflecting investor optimism that the collaboration could reshape the AI infrastructure landscape.
Dr. Joshua Fryman, Intel Fellow and CTO of Intel Government Technologies, said, “Standard memory architectures aren’t meeting AI needs, so NGDB defined a whole new approach to accelerate us through the next decade.” The quote underscores Intel’s confidence in the technical foundation of ZAM.
The collaboration signals Intel’s renewed focus on advanced memory, offers a potential new revenue stream for its foundry and product segments, and positions both companies to compete more effectively in the rapidly expanding AI and HPC markets.
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