(KPL/Yonhap) SK hynix Inc., the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, said Thursday it has begun mass production of 12-layer high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, the first in the world, solidifying its competitive edge over rivals.

The new 36-gigabit 12-layer HBM3E chip will be supplied to its customers, including U.S. AI chip giant Nvidia Corp., within the year, according to SK hynix.

This marks the industry's first mass production of the highest capacity and fastest HBM chip to date, outpacing other major HBM manufacturers like Samsung Electronics Co. and Micron Technology Inc.

SK hynix, already a leader in the HBM market, first began supplying its 8-layer HBM3E chips to Nvidia in March.

The popularity of SK hynix's HBM products came as HBM chips, integral components used for AI computing, have garnered increasing attention with the rise of applications, such as generative AI, exemplified by models like ChatGPT.

The newly launched 12-layer HBM3E chip is poised to dominate the future HBM market, with reports indicating that Nvidia's upcoming product lineups will feature this chip, for which SK hynix is the sole producer.

"The 12-layer HBM3E product meets the world's highest standards in all areas that are essential for AI memory, including speed, capacity and stability," SK hynix said.

"The company plans to continue its leadership in the AI memory market, addressing the growing needs of AI companies by being the first in the industry to mass-produce the 12-layer HBM3E."

According to data by market analysis firm TrendForce, SK hynix led the HBM market last year with a market share of 53 percent, followed by Samsung Electronics at 38 percent and Micron at 9 percent.

KPL