AMD’s Su seeks more AI memory in Seoul as MI455X load jumps 50%

AMD Chief Executive Lisa Su met Samsung Electronics chip chief Jun Young-hyun in Seoul on Oct. 7 as AMD seeks more high-bandwidth memory for AI accelerators, ChosunBiz reported. The memory squeeze is not just a function of more accelerator shipments. AMD’s latest accelerator carries 50% more memory than its predecessor.

The Instinct MI455X contains 432GB of HBM4 memory, compared with 288GB of HBM3E in the previous MI355X, according to ChosunBiz. Even unchanged accelerator sales would therefore require more memory. Su told reporters AMD was working with customers to optimize memory use while asking suppliers to increase production as quickly as possible.

AMD has begun shipping its MI455 accelerators and Helios systems using HBM4 from Samsung and SK hynix, Su said during the visit, according to The Korea Herald. She described the memory partnerships as spanning multiple product generations. Su also met SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung that day, the newspaper reported, citing industry officials.

TrendForce said HBM and general DRAM are competing for limited advanced manufacturing capacity, while better yields and output for new products take time, according to ChosunBiz. The firm projected that memory supply would remain tight through next year.

Samsung and AMD have also discussed having Samsung manufacture AMD chips, ChosunBiz reported. AMD currently relies on TSMC for advanced CPUs and GPUs, including the MI455X. Moving some products to a new manufacturer could delay launches or hurt yields and performance, AMD warned in its annual report, according to the outlet.

Alongside the supplier talks, Su reaffirmed plans to establish an AI Center for Excellence in Korea by year-end and hire hundreds of researchers, The Korea Herald reported. AMD also plans to continue supporting graduate-level AI training.