Overview
- The companies formalized a collaboration to develop and commercialize Z‑Angle Memory, with commercialization targeted for fiscal 2029 after prototype work planned by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2028.
- ZAM is described as a potential alternative to HBM for AI data centers, with reported claims of two to three times the capacity, higher bandwidth, and roughly half the power consumption of current HBM solutions.
- Intel is contributing its Next‑Generation DRAM Bonding expertise and packaging technologies such as EMIB, building on work conducted under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Memory Technology program.
- Coverage cites participation from Japanese industry and research institutions including Fujitsu and the University of Tokyo, with reports of partial subsidies from the Japanese government.
- Shares moved higher following the announcement, with SoftBank up about 3.1% and Intel up roughly 5% in overnight trading, as investors weighed the opportunity alongside manufacturing and competitive risks.