Anthropic, the creator of Claude AI models, has initiated talks with SK Hynix to obtain high-bandwidth memory chips essential for its plans to develop proprietary semiconductors. This move comes as AI companies intensify efforts to build custom hardware tailored for their workloads.
High-bandwidth memory (HBM) plays a key role in AI systems by enabling rapid data flow, and SK Hynix is a top global supplier in this space. The South Korean manufacturer is expanding its production capacity and preparing for a US ADR listing that could generate up to $26.5 billion, reflecting strong confidence in the AI-driven chip market.
Anthropic’s chip ambitions have been unfolding since early 2026, with reports in July indicating discussions with Samsung Electronics about fabricating advanced 2nm chips and exploring cutting-edge packaging technologies. The company raised $65 billion in a Series H round in May, reaching a valuation near $965 billion. SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron Technology joined as strategic investors in that funding.
Building a Diverse Supply Chain
By engaging multiple partners for manufacturing and memory supplies, Anthropic seems to be crafting a vertically integrated hardware ecosystem similar to Google’s TPU chips and Amazon’s Trainium and Inferentia processors. This diversified approach reduces dependency on a single supplier and boosts resilience.
SK Hynix’s aggressive expansion and public offering plans highlight the chipmaker’s anticipation of sustained AI demand driving long-term growth in memory components.
