[News] Jensen Huang Addresses Samsung Omission: Nvidia to Expedite HBM3E Validation

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During Nvidia’s earnings call on November 20, CEO Jensen Huang praised several key partners, including TSMC, SK Hynix, and Micron, but notably excluded Samsung Electronics.

In an interview with Bloomberg on November 23, while attending an event at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Huang clarified Nvidia’s ongoing evaluation of Samsung’s AI memory chips. He stated that the company is working swiftly to validate Samsung’s 8-layer and 12-layer high-bandwidth memory (HBM3E).

On October 31, Samsung Memory Business Vice President Kim Jae-jun revealed during the company’s Q3 earnings call that its 8-layer and 12-layer stacked HBM3E chips had entered mass production and completed critical validation for a major client. Kim expressed optimism about further sales expansion in Q4. Industry speculation at the time pointed to Nvidia as the key customer.

However, during Nvidia’s earnings call on November 20, CEO Jensen Huang highlighted several “great partners,” including TSMC, SK Hynix, and Micron, but made no mention of Samsung. This omission has fueled questions about the nature of Nvidia’s relationship with the South Korean chipmaker.

According to a report by Money DJ, Samsung issued a rare apology to investors in early October, warning that its Q3 net profit would likely fall short of market expectations. On October 8, the company disclosed that delays in its AI chip business with a key customer had negatively impacted performance. Additionally, increased supply of conventional-process chips from Chinese competitors further eroded its semiconductor margins. Samsung acknowledged that sales of its HBM3E chips to the major client occurred later than anticipated.

In contrast, SK Hynix has maintained a strong partnership with Nvidia, serving as the near-exclusive supplier of HBM products. In April, SK Hynix announced plans to collaborate with TSMC on HBM4 chip production, with mass production targeted for 2026.

During Samsung’s Q3 earnings call on October 31, Vice President Kim Jae-jun underscored the importance of meeting HBM customer requirements. He stated that Samsung would remain flexible in selecting wafer foundry partners for the manufacturing of base dies, considering both in-house and external fabs.

(Photo credit: Samsung)