SoftBank’s subsidiary, Saimemory, and American chipmaker Intel just signed a big deal to change how computers store data. They want to speed up the development of a new type of memory tech designed specifically for artificial intelligence. They are calling this project the “Z-Angle Memory program,” or ZAM for short.
The world needs this because today’s AI programs are incredibly hungry for power and speed. Standard memory chips simply cannot keep up with the workload anymore. This gap has caused shortages across the globe. Intel says it has developed a new way to build and assemble these chips. This new approach should make memory faster, cheaper, and much more energy-efficient.
Intel is bringing some serious expertise to the table. Much of the tech for this project comes from Intel’s work with the U.S. Department of Energy. They spent years figuring out how to make DRAM—the standard memory in servers and PCs—perform better without burning through so much electricity. Dr. Joshua Fryman, a top engineer at Intel, admitted that current memory setups just aren’t good enough for what AI needs today.
Investors liked what they heard. After the announcement, SoftBank’s stock price rose by more than 3%, while Intel’s shares jumped 5% in overnight trading. Everyone is looking for a way to solve the current chip shortage, and this partnership looks promising.
However, this technology will take some time to reach the market. The companies expect to have working prototypes by March 2028. If those tests go well, they plan to start selling the chips to the public in 2029.
SoftBank only started Saimemory in late 2024, but the company is moving fast by leaning on Intel’s research. Reports also suggest that Japanese tech giant Fujitsu is helping out with the project. Together, these companies hope to fix the “energy crisis” caused by massive AI data centers and ensure the next generation of computers can actually handle the software we are building.
