NVIDIA CEO explains memory demand: HBM4 and LPDDR5X | Jensen Huang and Lex Fridman
Jensen Huang discusses how he convinced DRAM industry CEOs to invest in HBM memory for data centers and adapt low-power mobile memory for supercomputers. His predictions proved successful, with memory companies achieving record years despite being 45-year-old companies.
Summary
In this discussion, Jensen Huang explains his role in shaping the memory industry's future by convincing DRAM manufacturers to pivot towards new memory technologies for AI and data center applications. Three years ago, when HBM memory was primarily used in supercomputers and had limited adoption, Huang successfully persuaded several DRAM industry CEOs that HBM would become mainstream memory for data centers. Initially, this prediction seemed ridiculous to industry leaders, but several believed in his vision and invested in HBM memory production. Similarly, Huang advocated for adapting LPDDR5 memory, traditionally used in cell phones, for supercomputer applications in data centers. This proposal also seemed counterintuitive to manufacturers who questioned the logic of using mobile phone memory in high-performance computing environments. However, Huang's strategic foresight proved accurate, as evidenced by the incredible volumes and record-breaking performance of both HBM4 and LPDDR5X memory technologies. Three major memory companies, all approximately 45 years old, achieved record years in their history as a result of these strategic shifts. Huang views this supply chain influence as a crucial part of his job, describing his role as not just leading NVIDIA's internal innovation but also informing, shaping, and inspiring the broader technology ecosystem to manifest the infrastructure needed for future computing demands.
Key Insights
- Jensen Huang convinced DRAM industry CEOs three years ago that HBM memory would become mainstream for data centers, despite it being used scarcely and barely by supercomputers at the time
- Huang's prediction initially sounded ridiculous to industry leaders, but several CEOs believed him and decided to invest in building HBM memories
- Huang proposed adapting low-power memory used in cell phones (LPDDR5) for supercomputers in data centers, which seemed odd to manufacturers
- Three major memory companies, all 45-year-old companies, achieved record years in their history due to the incredible volumes of HBM4 and LPDDR5X
- Huang views informing, shaping, and inspiring the supply chain as part of his job, extending beyond just manifesting the future for NVIDIA's engineers
Topics
Transcript
[0:03] If you look at the CEOs of the DRAM industry, um the number one DRAM in the in the world was DDR memory for CPUs in data centers. About 3 years ago, I was able to convince several of the CEOs that even though at the time HBM memory was used quite scarcely, you know, and and barely by supercomputers, um that this was going to be a mainstream memory for data centers in the future. And at first it sounded ridiculous, but several of the [0:34] CEOs believed me and decided to invest in building HBM memories. Another memory was rather odd to put into a data center is the low power memories that we use for cell…
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