Intel’s ZAM Memory Threatens HBM’s AI Throne With 2x the Bandwidth of HBM4, More Capacity, and Low Thermal Constraints

Intel and SoftBank are developing ZAM, a stacked AI memory design that could emerge around 2028–2030.

The company plans to share more technical details at VLSI Symposium 2026, with a demo expected soon.

ZAM is claimed to deliver roughly 2x the bandwidth of HBM4, or about 30 GB per package, while using less power.

Its vertically stacked architecture is also meant to improve thermal handling and support higher capacity for AI accelerators.