AMD CEO Lisa Su Visits South Korea for Strategic Talks with Samsung on HBM4 Supply

AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su is visiting South Korea on October 6-7, 2026, for crucial meetings with Jun Young-hyun, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor business. This marks Su's second trip to the country in seven months, focusing primarily on high-bandwidth memory (HBM4), the sixth generation of memory technology.

During her previous visit in March 2026, AMD and Samsung signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that designated Samsung as a preferred supplier of HBM4 for AMD's Instinct MI455X AI accelerators. Following this agreement, Samsung has already begun shipping HBM4 to AMD, having previously supplied HBM3E for earlier models.

In addition to HBM4 discussions, the agenda includes talks on next-generation DDR5 memory for AMD's EPYC server processors and potential foundry cooperation, which would allow Samsung to manufacture chips designed by AMD. The March discussions were high-level and non-binding, but this trip aims to solidify concrete agreements.

Beyond Samsung, Su will engage with several Korean AI semiconductor firms, including Rebellions and FuriosaAI, and meet with government officials to discuss global expansion and ecosystem cooperation. The collaboration between AMD and Samsung has been ongoing for nearly two decades, and as demand for advanced AI memory continues to rise, securing a reliable supply chain is critical for AMD's competitiveness against rivals like Nvidia.

Key points to watch for include the specifics of HBM4 supply volumes, DDR5 cooperation details, and any developments from the foundry discussions that could enhance AMD's manufacturing capabilities.

New Developments in AMD's HBM4 Production

• AMD is ramping up production of HBM4-based Helios AI systems, with mass production having begun in July 2026.
• Each Helios rack contains 72 Instinct MI455X accelerators, totaling 31,104 GB of HBM4 memory per rack.
• Initial shipments of Helios systems are scheduled for the end of Q3 2026, with significant increases expected in Q4 2026.
• Samsung was named AMD's preferred HBM4 supplier in March 2026, with ongoing shipments as of October 2026.
• AMD's demand for Helios systems has exceeded initial forecasts, prompting plans for substantial production increases over the next 3-5 years.
• HBM4 production capacity is reportedly sold out through 2029, with Samsung aiming to double its output in 2027.
• AMD's growth is contingent on supply chain stability, particularly regarding HBM and advanced packaging components.

Latest Developments from AMD

• AMD CEO Lisa Su announced plans to invest tens of billions of dollars in the global supply chain, significantly increasing the previous commitment of over $10 billion made in May 2026.
• The investment will focus on wafer capacity, advanced packaging, and supporting infrastructure such as substrates.
• AMD plans to substantially increase its supply of CPUs and GPUs in 2027, following a capacity ramp throughout 2026.
• The company has extended its capacity planning horizon with suppliers from one-to-two years to three-to-five years, indicating strong demand expectations.
• AMD remains a fabless company, relying on partners like TSMC, Foxconn, Samsung, and SK Hynix for manufacturing, rather than building its own fabrication plants.
• Lisa Su's recent itinerary included meetings with Foxconn and planned discussions with TSMC, as well as strategic talks with Samsung and SK Hynix in South Korea.