During the CES 2026 technology show, Nvidia executives made an unannounced visit to Samsung Electronics' private semiconductor exhibition space, a move that industry observers interpreted as a possible step toward discussions on the supply of next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4).

Samsung Electronics is accelerating construction of its P5 semiconductor line in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, as it moves toward a 2028 production target. The project is a central component of the company's plan to expand memory production amid rising AI-driven demand. Samsung is currently mobilizing thousands of workers daily and has launched simultaneous bidding for utility infrastructure to compress the traditional build timeline.

Reports in Korean business media say Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are raising quoted prices for server DRAM by 60% to 70% for the first quarter of 2026 compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, as demand continues to outstrip supply.

Samsung Electronics will resume structural construction at its Pyeongtaek P5 semiconductor plant next month. The company halted the project last year during a downturn in the memory market, but is now expanding capacity as demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI recovers.

SK hynix announced on Jan. 5 that it expects its fifth-generation high-bandwidth memory, HBM3E, to remain the dominant product in the AI-driven memory market through 2026, even as preparations accelerate for a transition to HBM4.

Global memory markets are expected to remain tight through 2026 as aggressive spending by cloud service providers (CSPs) on AI infrastructure continues to outstrip supply growth for both DRAM and NAND flash, pushing prices higher, according to industry estimates.