Samsung has received approval to supply NVIDIA with HBM3E, will be used in AI GPUs for China

Samsung has reportedly received approval to supply NVIDIA with its HBM memory chips, with its 8-layer HBM3E destined for NVIDIA after rumors that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said he can't trust Samsung's HBM products or engineers, and wouldn't do business with them.

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In a new report from Bloomberg, we're learning that Samsung's less-advanced 8-layer HBM3E -- and not the newer 12-layer HBM3E -- was "cleared by NVIDIA in December" according to "people who asked not to be named as the information is private". These new Samsung HBM3E memory chips would be used in NVIDIA's less powerful AI GPUs destined for China.

• Read more: NVIDIA CEO says he can't trust Samsung's HBM products or engineers, won't do business with them

Meanwhile, fellow South Korean memory company SK hynix has been NVIDIA's main partner for HBM memory, providing the company with bleeding-edge 12-layer HBM3E, and being asked by NVIDIA CEO to pull up the release of its next-gen HBM4 memory that will find its way into the company's next-gen Rubin R100 AI GPU.

• Read more: Samsung HBM3E supply to NVIDIA is 'realistically impossible' in 2024, now 2025
• Read more: NVIDIA working 'as fast as it can' to get Samsung HBM3E certified
• Read more: NVIDIA still hasn't signed with Samsung HBM, but needs the company for interposers on AI GPUs

In a recent report from Korean outlet Hankyung, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said in front of Samsung executives: "is a customer of Samsung Electronics, not an employee. Stop calling and asking questions. I can't trust Samsung Electronics' high-bandwidth memory (HBM) products and engineers. We cannot trust and do business with them because senior executives change frequently".

The outlet continues, adding that "Jensen Huang, who had negative feelings toward Samsung Electronics, may have intentionally taken these actions". Whatever happens next, either we see Samsung rise out of the ashes and provide NVIDIA with HBM3E that is approved for use with their AI chips.