SK hynix and Sandisk Begin Global Standardization of Next-Generation Memory ‘HBF’

–    SK hynix and Sandisk form a joint workstream under OCP to start standardization 
–    New memory layer between HBM and SSD to secure scalability and power efficiency in AI inference infrastructure

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SK hynix Inc. (or “the company”, www.skhynix.com) and Sandisk Corporation held ‘HBF Spec. Standardization Consortium Kick-Off’ event at Sandisk Headquarters in Milpitas, California on the 25^th(local time) announcing global standardization strategy of next-generation memory solution HBF(High Bandwidth Flash) aimed at the AI inference era.

SK hynix said, “By making HBF an industry standard, together with Sandisk, we will lay the foundation for the entire AI ecosystem to grow together. A dedicated workstream under OCP^[1] will be launched with Sandisk to begin standardization work.”

Recently, the AI industry is shifting from training which focuses on creating Large Language Models (LLMs) to inference, which accelerates actual AI services to users.

Fast and efficient memory is essential as the number of users using AI services increases rapidly. However, the existing memory structure cannot meet the high capacity data processing and power efficiency at the same time in the inference stage and HBF technology is designed to address these limitations.

HBF technology is a new memory layer between ultra-fast memory, HBM and high-capacity storage device, SSD. HBF technology can fill the gap between HBM’s high performance and SSD’s high capacity and ensure both capacity expansion and power efficiency required for AI inferencing. While HBM handles the high level bandwidth, HBF technology serves as a supporting layer in the architecture.

In particular, HBF technology is expected to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) while increasing the scalability of AI systems. The industry forecasts that the demand of complex memory solutions, including HBF, will pick up around 2030.

In the AI inference market, the role of a total memory solution company that can provide both HBM and HBF is becoming more important as system level optimization of CPU, GPU, and memory determines the overall competitiveness rather than the performance of a single chip.

In line with this, SK hynix and Sandisk are proactively pursuing HBF solution’s standardization and commercialization based on their design, packaging and mass production experience in HBM and NAND.

“The key to AI infrastructure is to go beyond the performance competition of individual technologies and to optimize the entire ecosystem,” said Ahn Hyun, President and Chief Development Officer. “Through HBF technology standardization the company will establish a cooperative system and present an AI-era optimized memory architecture to create new value for customers and partners.”

About SK hynix Inc.
SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world’s top-tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”) and flash memory chips (“NAND flash”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.

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SOURCE SK hynix Inc.