The collaboration focuses on supplying HBM4 memory for the upcoming AMD Instinct MI455X AI accelerators and DDR5 memory for the sixth-generation AMD EPYC processors. The companies are also discussing a potential foundry partnership.
In addition to the memory supply, the companies also want to explore a foundry partnership. Under this partnership, Samsung would provide contract manufacturing services for next-generation AMD products. Samsung already has a long history as an HBM supplier for AMD. The company previously supplied HBM3E chips for AMD’s MI350X and MI355X accelerators.
However, Samsung has been facing pressure in the HBM segment for some time. In the middle of last year, delays in HBM shipments even led to a decline in profits for the Korean company. With approximately 22 percent market share in HBM, Samsung lags far behind SK Hynix, which holds 57 percent. Samsung views HBM4 as the key to strengthening its position in AI.
Earlier this year, Samsung began its first commercial shipments of HBM4 to Nvidia and AMD, following successful qualification tests at a data rate of 11.7 Gbps. The collaboration with AMD fits into that broader plan.
AMD also active with Meta and OpenAI
AMD has also closed major deals with other parties in recent months. Last month, the company announced it would sell up to $60 billion in AI chips to Meta over a five-year period, an agreement under which Meta may purchase up to 10 percent of the chips. AMD already signed a similar deal with OpenAI last year.