Memory in the AI Era: How HBM and Advanced Packaging Are Breaking the Memory Wall

Synopsis

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping computing architectures and driving unprecedented demand for higher performance, greater bandwidth, and improved energy efficiency. As computing systems become increasingly data-intensive, memory is evolving from a supporting component into a critical enabler of system-level performance.

This session begins with a simple tour of the memory world. What does DRAM actually do? What about NAND? Where do they show up in the products we use every day? And where does Micron sit in the global semiconductor ecosystem?

Then comes the central question. AI chips can calculate far faster than data can reach them. Engineers call this bottleneck the "memory wall" — and it is the reason memory now sits on the critical path of every AI system.

High Bandwidth Memory is the answer. Stack the memory chips vertically. Widen the data path. Use advanced packaging to place the memory right beside the processor. We will trace how HBM has grown up over successive generations, and what each one gained in bandwidth, capacity and energy efficiency.

Stacking a dozen chips into something thinner than a coin — and keeping it cool — is as much a mechanical challenge as an electrical one, and Taiwan is where much of that work happens. We close by asking what comes next — including a future where light, not electricity, carries the data.

AI system and memory hierarchy overview

HBM2E / HBM3E / HBM4 evolution comparison

Biographical Sketch

Alex Chang is Vice President of Advanced Assembly and Testing at Micron Taiwan, where he leads the backend operations powering Micron ’ s most advanced memory innovations, including HBM solutions that are accelerating the future of AI and high-performance computing.

With three decades of semiconductor packaging expertise, Alex has built a distinguished career spanning technology development, manufacturing scale-up, and organizational leadership. His journey began with start-up and high-volume production at Taiflex, followed by a broad range of leadership roles at Philips and NXP Semiconductors, ultimately serving as General Manager and Vice President of NXP Kaohsiung.

His professional journey mirrors the remarkable evolution of advanced packaging, progressing from QFN and flip chip to 3DIC and HBM. Through every generation, Alex has remained focused on transforming breakthrough technologies into scalable manufacturing excellence.