Saimemory, subsidiary of the multinational investment giant SoftBanksigned a collaboration agreement with an American chipmaker Intel Corp. to advance the commercialization of next-generation memory technology, the companies announced Tuesday.
The partnership focuses on next-generation memory technologies capable of meeting the growing demands for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. This effort is currently known as the “Z-Angle Memory Program” or ZAM.
Prototypes are expected by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2028, with commercialization planned for fiscal 2029, according to a SoftBank study. press release.
SoftBank shares rose 3.13%, while Intel shares rose 5% in overnight trading on Robinhood following the announcement.
Saimemory, established in December 2024, will leverage Intel’s memory technology and expertise, particularly initiatives undertaken under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Memory Technology program.
The program focused on developing core technologies for advanced memory. Intel’s involvement was specifically aimed at improving the performance and energy efficiency of next-generation dynamic random access memory (DRAM) used in computers and servers.
“Standard memory architectures do not meet the needs of AI,” said Dr. Joshua Fryman, Intel Fellow and CTO of Intel Government Technologies, in a statement.
He added that Intel has developed a new memory architecture and assembly approach that improves DRAM performance while reducing power consumption and costs, positioning the technology for broader adoption over the next decade.
This partnership comes amid growing demand for memory used in AI-related applications. This demand far exceeded supply, triggering shortages throughout the memory supply chain.
The focus on energy efficiency for the ZAM program also reflects growing concerns about the enormous energy consumption required for AI computing.
The collaboration between Intel and SoftBank on next-generation memory technology was first reported by Nikkei Asia last year. Fujitsua Japanese multinational computer equipment and services company, is also would have involved in the project.