Samsung claims minority Nvidia memory share as Intel backs AI chip rival
South Korean giant to ship HBM4 this month but will supply just 25% of graphics leader's requirements, while critical T-Glass substrate shortages drive price increases
Samsung Electronics will begin shipping its fourth-generation high-bandwidth memory this month, but the South Korean manufacturer will capture only a quarter of Nvidia's HBM requirements, according to reports from Yonhap and Hankyung. SK Hynix is expected to retain roughly 50% share of Nvidia's advanced memory supply.
The disclosure confirms Samsung's continuing struggle to match its smaller domestic rival in the most lucrative segment of the memory market. Wedbush analysts Matt Bryson and Antoine Legault suggested market share matters less than technical capability at this stage, particularly as standard DRAM margins appear set to match or exceed HBM profitability.
The developments come as constraints ripple through other critical AI infrastructure components, with specialised glass substrates entering short supply and Intel committing fresh capital to custom silicon startups.
Glass substrate shortages push prices higher, favouring Nvidia
Supply constraints for T-Glass, a specialised substrate material used in advanced chip packaging, are driving price increases across the semiconductor supply chain, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Nvidia appears better positioned than competitors to secure available supply.
The material has been a source of industry concern since last summer, though Wedbush noted it has not yet encountered cases where chip shipments were actually delayed due to T-Glass shortages. The substrate is critical for packaging high-performance processors that combine multiple chips in a single module.
Pricing power for suppliers of the material reflects broader tightness in advanced packaging components as AI accelerator production scales rapidly.
Intel commits at least $100 million to SambaNova amid acquisition talk
Intel will invest between $100 million and $150 million in SambaNova Systems as part of an oversubscribed $350 million funding round led by Vista Equity Partners, Reuters reported. The investment follows earlier reports that acquisition discussions between Intel and the AI chip startup had stalled.
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SambaNova, which designs custom AI processors, appeared to trail peers like Groq during the early stages of the AI chip race. But Wedbush analysts believe the company's perceived value is rising as AI chip design talent becomes scarcer and some custom ASIC development efforts encounter unexpected difficulties.
The funding validates the challenges inherent in designing and manufacturing AI accelerators, even as demand for alternatives to dominant GPU architectures continues growing. Intel's investment suggests the chipmaker sees strategic value in backing external AI silicon development despite its own struggles with internal manufacturing capacity.
