TOKYO — SoftBank and the American chip giant Intel have agreed to work together on next-generation computer chips as SoftBank works to make its technology investments more effective. It is being led by Saimemory, a new SoftBank division that has been established as the company looks for more advanced ways for computers to store and move the enormous volumes of data needed for artificial intelligence.
The new project, the Z-Angle Memory program (or ZAM for short), is conceived as the fix for a major bottleneck in technology. Today’s computers can contain only so much memory, forcing the neural networks of even the most dominant AI systems to be split up among dozens or even thousands of chips. This partnership is aiming to design a new “architecture”, essentially a new way of building these chips, that can process far more data while gobbling much less electricity. If A.I. is the engine of the future, then this new type of memory could be the fuel that makes it run more effectively.
Why Standard Memory Isn’t Enough Anymore
Right now, the world is actually running out of memory that is both non-cheap and high-speed to produce. AI models, like the ones that work for chatbots and self-driving cars, need to “think” quickly. Unfortunately, standard modern memory chips cannot keep up, this creates a “bottleneck” where the computer’s brain literally has to wait for the data to catch up.
Intel’s experts say that standard memory designs are failing to keep up with modern AI. The Z-Angle Memory program implies a partnership with SoftBank to develop new ways of “stacking” and “bonding” memory chips, basically, this means the ability to combine more memory into a single computer by putting it close together. As a result, a computer could “think” much faster while not getting as hot and using less power.
A Long Road to the Finish Line
However, while this announcement has brought excitement to the investors, Intel’s stock price is up 5%, and SoftBank’s is up over 3%, this will not happen overnight. Creating entirely new kinds of computer hardware and software is complicated.
The announced timeline for the program is:
• Early 2028 – developers hope to have prototypes ready.
• 2029 – 2030 – subject to all tests going well, companies will start selling this new kind of memory to large data centres.
Solving the AI energy Crisis
Finally, one of the key complaints about the AI technology industry is its’ high energy consumption. Large data centres consume as much energy as small towns, and this is not only expensive but also bad for the environment. That is why Intel’s Z-Angle Memory program has “energy efficiency” written into its top-priority features.
By making memory chips more power-efficient, the companies hope to drive down the cost of running AI. That would lower the cost of the technology for companies and reduce its impact on the planet. The project is supported by researchers in Japan, an indication that building the future of AI is increasingly a global team sport.
Key Highlights
- SoftBank and Intel are creating “Z-Angle Memory” to accelerate AI while consuming less power.
- Prototypes of this new kind of memory chips are expected to be produced by early 2028.
- The new design is meant to reduce the power they consume but double their speed compared with existing chips.
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