SK hynix on Wednesday announced that it has developed PIM, a next-generation memory chip with computing capabilities.
It has been generally accepted that memory chips store data and CPU or GPU, like human brain, process data. SK Group's semiconductor unit SK hynix, following its challenge to such notion and efforts to pursue innovation in the next-generation smart memory, has found a breakthrough solution with the development of the latest technology.
SK hynix plans to showcase its PIM development at the world's most prestigious semiconductor conference, 2022 ISSCC, in San Francisco at the end of this month. The company expects continued efforts for innovation of this technology to bring the memory-centric computing, in which semiconductor memory plays a central role, a step closer to the reality in devices such as smartphones.
For the first product that adopts the PIM technology, SK hynix has developed a sample of GDDR6-AiM (Accelerator in memory). The GDDR6-AiM adds computational functions to GDDR6* memory chips, which process data at 16Gbps. A combination of GDDR6-AiM with CPU or GPU instead of a typical DRAM makes certain computation speed 16 times faster. GDDR6-AiM is widely expected to be adopted for machine learning, high-performance computing, and big data computation and storage.
SK hynix also plans to introduce a technology that combines GDDR6-AiM with AI chips in collaboration with SAPEON, an AI chip company that recently spun off from SK Telecom.
Ryu Soo-jung, CEO of SAPEON
The use of artificial neural network data has increased rapidly recently, requiring computing technology optimized for computational characteristics. We aim to maximize efficiency in data calculation, costs, and energy use by combining technologies from the two companies.
Ahn Hyun, Head of Solution Development who spearheaded the development of the latest technology and product
SK hynix will build a new memory solution ecosystem using GDDR6-AiM, which has its own computing function. The company will continue to evolve its business model and the direction for technology development.
