SK Hynix will gear up its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) capacity to keep up with surging demand, allocating 80 per cent of its KRW103 trillion ($74.5 billion) capex over the next five years to the high-end chips, Bloomberg reported.

The investment was detailed during a two-day senior management meeting at SK Group to set its growth strategy, as the conglomerate restructures its investment direction with a focus on AI and semiconductors.

To take advantage of rising demand for AI computing power, SK Telecom and SK Broadband earmarked a combined KRW3.4 trillion to expand their data centre businesses, the news outlet wrote.

Trendforce reported last month SK Hynix’s HBM capacity for this year and next has been sold out.

The company is building an advanced packaging production facility for AI memory the state of Indiana in the US, with mass production of next-generation HBM products expected to start in the second half of 2028.

In late April the company’s board also approved a plan to expand capacity of next-generation DRAM, including HBM, by starting construction of a new facility in Cheongju, North Chungcheong province. The KRW20 trillion facility, named M15X fab, is scheduled to be completed in late 2025.