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In an unprecedented move, the world's leading foundry, TSMC, is partnering with its rival, Samsung, the second-largest foundry globally, to develop next-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM4), according to reports from Korea Economic Daily and Business Korea. This marks their first collaboration in the AI chip sector, signaling a major shift in the competitive semiconductor landscape.

On September 5, Dan Kochpatcharin, Head of Ecosystem and Alliance Management at TSMC, confirmed that the two companies are working together to develop a buffer-less HBM4 chip. This new technology aims to enhance power efficiency by 40% and reduce latency by 10%, compared to existing HBM models. Buffer-less HBM eliminates the traditional buffer used to prevent electrical issues and manage voltage distribution, which is expected to make HBM4 a game-changer in the memory market.

Samsung, known for its comprehensive HBM services, including memory production, foundry, and advanced packaging, is reportedly preparing over 20 customized solutions with various foundry partners, including TSMC. Samsung aims to leverage TSMC's technology to meet the specific requirements of clients like NVIDIA and Google, while attracting a broader customer base.

The HBM4 manufacturing process differs from previous generations, as the logic die—acting as the brain of the chip—can now be produced by foundry companies like TSMC, rather than memory manufacturers. This collaboration signifies a significant technological evolution in the industry.

In April, SK Hynix, the current leader in HBM, also teamed up with TSMC to develop HBM4 and next-generation packaging technologies. Meanwhile, Samsung, although entering the HBM3e market slightly later than SK Hynix and Micron, has started shipping 8-layer HBM3e to NVIDIA and is targeting mass production of HBM4 by late 2025.

This partnership between TSMC and Samsung underscores the rapidly changing dynamics in the semiconductor industry, where even fierce rivals are joining forces to push the boundaries of innovation in AI and high-performance computing.

Editor：Lulu

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