Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the increasing demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) in AI systems, highlighting its advantages over traditional memory types and the challenges in its production and supply chain [4][5][8]. Group 1: HBM Overview and Importance - HBM combines vertically stacked DRAM chips with a wide data path, achieving optimal balance between bandwidth, density, and energy consumption, making it suitable for AI workloads [4][5]. - The production cost of HBM is significantly higher than that of DDR5, yet the market demand remains strong, especially for leading AI accelerators that utilize HBM [4][5][8]. Group 2: HBM Specifications and Performance - HBM3 offers a data rate of 6.4 Gbps, a bus width of 1024 bits, and a bandwidth of 819.2 GB/s, which is substantially higher than other memory types like DDR5 and GDDR6X [6]. - The increase in I/O count for HBM3E stacks leads to greater wiring density and complexity, necessitating advanced packaging techniques like CoWoS [6][7]. Group 3: Supply Chain Dynamics - The demand for HBM is expected to grow significantly, with Nvidia projected to hold the largest share of HBM demand by 2027, driven by its roadmap that includes GPUs with up to 1 TB of HBM [8][10]. - Amazon has emerged as a major customer for HBM, opting for direct procurement to reduce costs [8]. Group 4: Production Challenges - HBM production faces challenges such as the need for TSV (Through-Silicon Via) technology, which complicates the manufacturing process and increases chip size compared to DDR [7][10]. - The yield rates for HBM are lower than traditional DRAM, with higher stacking layers leading to compounded yield issues [24][25]. Group 5: Future Developments - The article notes that the stacking height for HBM3 and HBM3E will reach 12 layers, with ongoing discussions about future technologies like HBM4 and its potential advantages [29][32]. - The evolution of AI accelerators necessitates continuous improvements in memory capacity and bandwidth, with HBM expected to play a crucial role in meeting these demands [34][35].