SK Hynix and Sandisk Launch HBF Standardization Push for AI Inference Storage

AI inference requires repeated access to massive models and datasets. Conventional SSDs offer lower bandwidth, while HBM is fast but constrained by cost and capacity. The high-bandwidth flash, or HBF, technology being advanced by SK Hynix and Sandisk is designed to sit between the two, balancing capacity, bandwidth and energy efficiency to reduce the total cost of ownership of AI infrastructure and improve scalability.

SK Hynix and Sandisk have formally launched a global HBF standardization initiative and will jointly develop specifications and an industry ecosystem focused on AI inference storage demand. As of July 20, 2026, the companies had not disclosed the value of the partnership, a date for finalizing the standard or a mass-production schedule. Their immediate priority is to encourage adoption across industries and establish HBF as a new storage tier between HBM and SSDs.