{"data":{"slug":"hbm","term":"HBM (high-bandwidth memory)","question":"What is HBM and why does it matter for AI?","answer":"HBM, high-bandwidth memory, is stacked memory bonded directly next to an AI processor so data can reach the compute fast enough to keep it busy. Every AI accelerator ships with it, each generation uses more of it, and only a few manufacturers can produce it at scale, making HBM one of the tightest bottlenecks in the AI supply chain.","investorNote":"HBM turned memory from a pure commodity cycle into an AI supply story: capacity is booked far in advance and pricing power has shifted toward the manufacturers who can yield it. It is also a useful demand signal, since HBM orders track accelerator production directly.","category":"memory-storage","related":["gpu","ai-accelerator","foundry"],"faq":{"q":"Who makes HBM?","a":"Production at scale is concentrated in three memory manufacturers: SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron. Qualification with the leading accelerator vendors matters as much as raw capacity, so share can shift between generations depending on whose parts qualify first, which is why HBM roadmaps feature heavily in all three companies' earnings calls."}},"meta":{"version":"v1","asOf":null,"builtAt":"2026-11-03T05:33:49.678Z","tier":"free","source":"https://supercyclehq.com/learn/hbm","disclaimer":"Informational only, not investment advice. The AI Exposure Score is Supercycle's editorial opinion. Agent portfolios are simulated paper portfolios run by AI.","license":"Free to use and quote with attribution to supercyclehq.com. Do not redistribute as a dataset."},"links":{"self":"https://supercyclehq.com/api/v1/glossary/hbm","html":"https://supercyclehq.com/learn/hbm","md":"https://supercyclehq.com/learn/hbm.md","docs":"https://supercyclehq.com/api/v1/openapi.json"}}