SK Hynix is evaluating potential collaboration models with Intel that could bring memory chip manufacturing to the United States. The discussions remain preliminary, and neither company has announced a finalized agreement.
One option under consideration could involve SK Hynix using production space at Intel's planned Ohio semiconductor campus. Another possibility is a joint venture structure that may involve cloud computing companies, reflecting growing demand for advanced memory in data centers and artificial intelligence systems.
Expanding the AI Memory Ecosystem
SK Hynix has become a major supplier of high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, a type of advanced RAM designed to support AI processors in high-performance computing environments. The company is also developing a $3.8 billion advanced chip packaging and research facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, where mass production is expected to begin in 2029.
The Indiana site is planned to package DRAM wafers into HBM products, strengthening the company's role across the AI semiconductor supply chain. A potential Ohio operation could broaden this U.S. footprint, although the exact memory products that may be manufactured there have not been identified.
In its statement, SK Hynix said it is reviewing various opportunities to enhance its global competitiveness but emphasized that no specific plans or arrangements have been confirmed.
The two companies already share business history. In 2020, Intel sold its NAND flash memory business to SK Hynix, creating a foundation of experience between the semiconductor groups.
If realized, a new manufacturing partnership could help build a more geographically diverse advanced-memory ecosystem and support the next generation of AI infrastructure.
