SK Hynix CEO Keynote: Memory’s Journey towards Future ICT

Category: Memory & HBM · Duration: 39 min · ▶ Watch

Speakers: Seok-Hee Lee, President & CEO of SK hynix

Switch language → 中文

Segments (16)

  • 00:00:00 · Introduction: The Evolution of Memory
    • A brief history of computer memory, from early technologies like the Williams-Kilburn tube to modern RAM and ROM, setting the stage for SK Hynix’s role.
  • 01:13:00 · SK Hynix’s Legacy and Future
    • The video highlights SK Hynix’s historical achievements in DRAM and outlines its vision for powering future technologies like AI, 5G, autonomous vehicles, and AR.
  • 02:34:00 · CEO Keynote Introduction
    • Seok-Hee Lee, President & CEO of SK hynix, introduces himself and the presentation’s topic: the journey of memory in the future ICT world.
  • 03:33:00 · Presentation Outline
    • The speaker outlines the three main parts of his talk: Changes in the ICT Environment, New Drivers of the Memory Industry, and Collaboration under Digital Transformation.
  • 03:53:00 · Changes in the ICT Environment
    • This section discusses the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on accelerating digital transformation, and the resulting surge in data usage.
  • 05:35:00 · Game-Changers: 5G and Autonomous Cars
    • 5G telecommunication and autonomous vehicles are identified as key ‘game-changers’ that are driving an exponential increase in data generation and consumption.
  • 07:09:00 · Explosive Growth of Data
    • The presentation illustrates the explosive growth of both structured and unstructured data, projecting it to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025.
  • 08:04:00 · Data Center Growth and Memory Demand
    • The growth of data centers is forecasted, highlighting the massive increase in demand for DRAM and NAND memory to handle the data explosion.
  • 08:55:00 · The Expanding Role of Memory
    • Memory’s role is evolving from simple storage in past devices to a more diverse and central function in the future’s AI-integrated smart ecosystem.
  • 09:48:00 · New Drivers of the Memory Industry: The 3S
    • The speaker introduces the ‘3S’ - Scaling, Social, and Smart - as the new key drivers that will shape the future of the memory industry.
  • 11:52:00 · Scaling Value
    • This segment details the technical challenges and innovations in scaling DRAM (using EUV) and NAND (4D stacking) to meet future demands for density and performance.
  • 21:15:00 · Social Value
    • The presentation discusses the memory industry’s social responsibility, focusing on reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption through innovations like low-power SSDs.
  • 28:20:00 · Smart Value
    • The concept of ‘Smart’ value is explained as developing technologies for a hyper-connected future where AI is integrated into all devices, requiring a memory transformation.
  • 30:07:00 · Revolution of Memory Technology
    • A look at the shift from the Von Neumann computing architecture to Post Von Neumann concepts like PIM, CIM, and Neuromorphic computing to overcome performance bottlenecks.
  • 32:47:00 · Memory’s Journey and Conclusion
    • SK Hynix’s roadmap is presented, showing evolutionary and revolutionary paths to develop next-generation memory solutions that incorporate the 3S values.
  • 37:08:00 · Outro
    • A concluding promotional segment on how semiconductor technology connects the world and enables the smart cities of the future.

Memory Facts (11)

  • [01:19:00] In the 1980s, SK Hynix produced DRAMs capable of storing up to 256 kilobits (Kb).
    • 256 Kb
  • [01:36:00] The amount of data generated annually is doubling every two years.
    • doubling every 2 years
  • [07:05:00] A single autonomous car is expected to generate more than 4 terabytes of data per day.
    • 4 TB/day
  • [07:10:00] The total amount of global data is projected to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025.
    • 175 ZB
  • [08:19:00] Data centers require 20 million GB of DRAM and 750 million GB of NAND.
    • 20 million GB (DRAM), 750 million GB (NAND)
  • [12:54:00] The first generation DDR5 DRAM has a data transfer rate of 4800-5600 Mbps, which is 1.8 times faster than DDR4.
    • 4800-5600 Mbps, 1.8x
  • [13:12:00] The maximum transfer rate of DDR5 is expected to exceed 6400 Mbps in the near future.
    • > 6400 Mbps
  • [13:35:00] With on-chip ECC, DDR5 improves system reliability by approximately 20 times compared to DDR4.
    • 20x
  • [17:23:00] In 2020, SK Hynix successfully developed the industry’s most multi-layered 176-layer 4D NAND.
    • 176-layer
  • [22:54:00] Replacing all Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) with Low Power Solid State Drives (SSDs) can reduce CO2 generation by 93%.
    • 93%
  • [23:37:00] By 2030, replacing data center HDDs with low power SSDs could reduce CO2 emissions by 41 million tons and create $3.8 billion in social value.
    • 41 million tons, $3.8 billion

Bottleneck Claims (2)

  • [24:43:00] There is a growing gap between what ICT society needs (in terms of capacity, power efficiency, and bandwidth) and what current memory technology can provide.
    • Evidence: Charts showing projected demand for capacity and bandwidth outpacing the supply from memory technology through 2028. A chart also shows DRAM read/write operations consume 800x more power than 64-bit arithmetic.
  • [24:52:00] The Von Neumann architecture, which separates computing (CPU) and memory, creates a performance bottleneck due to data transfer limitations.
    • Evidence: The presentation proposes solutions like PIM (Processing-In-Memory) and CIM (Computing-In-Memory) which integrate processing functions closer to or within the memory itself, as part of a ‘Post Von Neumann’ computing era.

Predictions (5)

  • [07:10:00, 2025] The total amount of global data will reach 175 zettabytes.
  • [08:14:00, 2025] The data center market is expected to double.
  • [20:31:00, Next 10 years] DRAM scaling will continue below 10nm and NAND stacking will continue beyond 600 layers.
  • [29:15:00, Future] The future will be an ‘era of new ICT’ where all devices are integrated with AI technology.
  • [30:12:00, Beyond the next 10 years] Memory technology will evolve through a ‘Convergence Era’ (PIM/CIM) and an ‘Integration Era’ (Neuromorphic), moving beyond the Von Neumann architecture.

Key Technologies (12)

  • DRAM: Dynamic Random-Access Memory, a type of volatile memory used for main system memory.
  • NAND Flash: A type of non-volatile storage technology used in SSDs and other storage devices.
  • EUV Lithography: Extreme Ultraviolet lithography is a technology used to create finer patterns on semiconductor wafers, enabling further scaling of DRAM.
  • DDR5: The next generation of DRAM specification, offering higher speed, higher density, and improved reliability with on-chip ECC.
  • 4D NAND: An advanced NAND flash architecture that stacks memory cells vertically to achieve higher density and capacity.
  • HBM (High Bandwidth Memory): A high-performance RAM interface involving stacking multiple DRAM dies, optimized for AI and high-performance computing.
  • CXL (Compute Express Link): An emerging open standard interconnect that allows CPUs and accelerators to share memory coherently, expanding bandwidth and capacity.
  • PNM (Processing Near Memory): A memory solution where the CPU and memory exist within a single module to increase accessibility and speed.
  • PIM (Processing In Memory): A memory solution where the CPU and memory exist within a single package to further increase speed.
  • CIM (Computing In Memory): A memory solution where the CPU and memory are integrated within a single die to deliver high-performance computing.
  • Neuromorphic Memory: A future memory technology inspired by the human brain, enabling ultra-high-speed computation with very low energy.
  • DNA Storage: A future storage technology that uses DNA molecules to store vast amounts of data with high density.

Companies Mentioned (1)

SK hynix

Notable Quotes (4)

Memory isn’t new to SK hynix - it’s our specialty. — Narrator @ 02:27:00

In the era of digital transformation, I believe 3S, ‘Scaling value, Social value, and Smart value’ will drive the semiconductor industry. — Seok-Hee Lee @ 11:32:00

Also, it will become possible to enable a true smart world, where the same large amount of data can be stored and processed at low power in a small room without having to maintain a hundred thousand square meters of data centers. — Seok-Hee Lee @ 32:25:00

This is why I think transformation is needed in the semiconductor industry. — Seok-Hee Lee @ 34:47:00

Key Topics

Memory Technology Evolution · Digital Transformation · Data Explosion · Semiconductor Scaling Challenges · Future of Computing Architecture · Social Responsibility in Tech · 5G and AI Impact on Memory · Autonomous Vehicles · Data Center Growth

Takeaways

  • The demand for memory capacity, bandwidth, and power efficiency is growing exponentially, driven by AI, 5G, and autonomous systems, creating a significant gap with current technology capabilities.
  • SK Hynix is framing the future of the memory industry around three key drivers: ‘Scaling’ (overcoming physical limits with tech like EUV and 4D NAND), ‘Social’ (addressing environmental impact and energy consumption), and ‘Smart’ (enabling an AI-integrated world).
  • Overcoming the ‘Von Neumann bottleneck’ is critical. The industry is moving towards architectures that integrate processing and memory, such as PIM (Processing-In-Memory) and CIM (Computing-In-Memory).
  • Future revolutionary technologies like Neuromorphic memory and DNA storage promise to enable ultra-low-power, high-speed computation, mimicking the efficiency of the human brain.
  • The complexity and cost of semiconductor development are increasing dramatically, necessitating a paradigm shift from vertical competition to broad, open collaboration across an ecosystem of customers, suppliers, and academia.