[News] PSMC Joins Intel, SoftBank’s ZAM Initiative to Manufacture AI Memory, Eyeing an Alternative to HBM

The AI boom is triggering an explosive surge in memory chip demand, putting Taiwan’s PSMC in the spotlight. According to Economic Daily News, PSMC has teamed up with Intel and Japan’s SoftBank Group in an AI memory collaboration, taking on a key role in pilot production and manufacturing. The cross-border partnership could give Taiwan its first real foothold in the critical AI memory market, potentially breaking the stronghold long held by Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron, the report adds.

As the report notes, this Taiwan-US-Japan joint initiative is targeting a new “Z-Angle Memory” technology designed for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications, aiming to push beyond the current limitations of HBM in capacity, power efficiency, and data transfer speeds.

The collaboration features a clearly defined division of labor, with a newly established SoftBank Group entity called Saimemory overseeing design and intellectual property management, while Intel contributes its expertise in stacking and memory architecture. PSMC and Japan’s Shinko Electric Industries will assist in pilot production and manufacturing, the report adds. The partnership aims to complete prototype development by 2027, with commercial mass production targeted for 2029.

Intel noted that conventional memory architectures can no longer keep pace with AI’s growing demands, and that the new memory design will leverage multi-layer stacking and advanced packaging techniques to boost performance while reducing power consumption and costs, as reported by the Economic Daily News. As EE Times Japan highlights, the new memory product under development is expected to draw on Intel’s Next Generation DRAM Bonding (NGDB) initiative.

A Taiwan-US-Japan Bet on Z-Angle Memory

Notably, according to PC Watch, shortly after Intel announced the partnership with SoftBank’s subsidiary Saimemory to develop Z-Angle Memory (ZAM), the product made its first public appearance when Saimemory unveiled it at Intel Connection Japan 2026 on February 3.

While the full impact of ZAM versus HBM remains to be seen, early reports hint at some game-changing advantages. Wccftech notes the memory could cut power consumption by 40–50%, streamline production with Z-Angle interconnects, and pack up to 512 GB per chip.

Looking ahead, industry sources cited by Economic Daily News say this Taiwan-US-Japan push into next-generation AI memory could help establish an alternative memory roadmap beyond HBM and reduce dependence on existing supply chains, with PSMC emerging as a key player in AI memory manufacturing.

Read more

• [News] First Look at ZAM: SAIMEMORY Unveils Memory to Address Thermal Issues at Intel’s Japan Event
• [News] Breaking HBM Barriers: Samsung’s zHBM vs. Intel’s Z-Angle Memory
• Micron’s Acquisition of PSMC’s Tongluo Fab Could Lift Global DRAM Supply Outlook in 2027, Says TrendForce

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