From Memory to Physical AI: Korea's Largest Chip Show Opens This Week

SEDEX 2026 offers a focused view of South Korea's chip industry, particularly its emphasis on AI-driven memory and physical AI. The participation of 300 companies, including major players like Samsung and SK hynix, points to a concentrated effort in developing high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and related technologies crucial for AI infrastructure. Samsung's "AI System Design" message highlights an integrated approach, combining memory, foundry services, and advanced packaging.

SK hynix's showcase of HBM4E, the seventh generation of HBM, and high-bandwidth flash (HBF) indicates a push for memory solutions that can meet the increasing data processing and volume demands of AI systems. HBF, leveraging NAND flash, is presented as a candidate for handling large data sets, suggesting a diversification in memory architectures beyond traditional DRAM-based HBM.

Beyond memory, the exhibition's inclusion of humanoid robot chips and discussions on physical AI semiconductors points to a broadening application of AI technology into the physical world. The focus on materials, components, and equipment makers, alongside chip design companies, illustrates the domestic ecosystem's depth. This comprehensive display suggests an industry that is not only innovating at the high-end memory tier but also strengthening its foundational and application-specific capabilities.