Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang signed “Approved” on Samsung Electronics’ next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) product, the ‘HBM3E.’
Huang stopped by the Samsung Electronics booth during his visit to the partner exhibits at GTC 2024 on Mar. 20 at the San Jose Convention Center in California, United States. He examined the showcased HBM3E and left his mark by signing “Jensen Approved” beside the product. This moment was captured and shared by Han Jin-man, Samsung Electronics executive vice president of the U.S. DS division. He posted a photo on LinkedIn with the caption, “Jensen Huang gave his personal stamp of approval on our HBM3E.”
Despite this gesture, Samsung clarified that the signature does not imply Nvidia will immediately adopt the HBM3E. In response to inquiries at a global press conference the day before about Nvidia’s current non-use of Samsung’s HBM, Huang replied, “We haven’t started using it. We are still qualifying it.”
SK Hynix is the primary supplier of HBM for Nvidia’s AI semiconductors, though Micron has also contributed since last year. Samsung is reportedly about a year behind its competitors in having its HBM adopted by Nvidia.
An industry insider said, “Given HBM’s critical role in Nvidia’s AI semiconductors, this might be a move to motivate suppliers. It’s challenging to interpret the gesture precisely, but it highlights the intense competition among suppliers vying to provide HBM3E for Nvidia.”
