[Exclusive] "SK hynix, Leading Commercialization Beyond HBM Innovation"

Mary Ellen Randall, President and CEO of IEEE

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On April 24 (local time), SK hynix received the Corporate Innovation Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s most prestigious engineering organization, for its achievements in high bandwidth memory (HBM). This is a historic event that demonstrates the elevated status of the Korean semiconductor industry. The global technology community has officially recognized that Korea’s memory-centric semiconductor industry structure, once seen as something to move away from, has become the very "pillar" that made the age of artificial intelligence possible. The image of Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, who received the Medal of Honor, standing side by side with an SK hynix executive at the award ceremony, perfectly encapsulates the significance of this recognition.

In an interview with The Asia Business Daily on April 27, Mary Ellen Randall, Chair and CEO of IEEE, explained the meaning of receiving an IEEE award: "It signifies the highest level of achievement as recognized by peer professionals in the fields of engineering and technology," adding, "It also means that the accomplishment has an impact across industry and society as a whole."

She continued, "SK hynix received this award for leading the innovation and commercialization of high bandwidth memory, a core infrastructure for AI computing." Randall explained, "HBM is one of today’s core technologies in the era of AI, playing a crucial role in overcoming performance bottlenecks that arise during training, inference, and large-scale operations."

On the 24th (local time), SK hynix received the Corporate Innovation Award at the 'IEEE Awards 2026' event held in New York, USA. Attending as the award recipient, Hyeon An, Head of Development at SK hynix (first from the left), took a commemorative photo with other awardees including Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia (eighth from the left). Photo by IEEE

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She further stated, "HBM is a key technology that addresses the memory bottleneck-one of the biggest obstacles in AI architecture," adding, "The fact that IEEE chose SK hynix as the recipient is an important signal of where AI innovation is happening."

What IEEE focused on was not only the development of HBM itself, but also the process of expanding it into a core infrastructure that is reliably used in actual AI systems. Randall remarked, "It's notable that SK hynix is not only a technology innovator in the HBM field, but also the leading company that has implemented and commercialized this technology."

As Randall noted, this award redefines the role of the Korean semiconductor industry. Although Korea has long been called a powerhouse in memory semiconductors, its market has experienced cycles of boom and bust. This is why both the government and corporations have called for moving beyond memory. In this regard, SK hynix's award marks a turning point, as it signifies recognition that a Korean company is not just playing a supporting role in the AI era, but is designing and spreading the core foundational technology as a main player.

Randall emphasized the role of companies. She said, "What stands out about this award is that it recognizes achievements at the corporate level, and that the technology is directly connected to the AI era."

Randall also explained why IEEE gives separate awards to companies. She said, "IEEE has a long tradition of honoring individual achievements, but today’s core technologies cannot be created by individual effort alone." She continued, "Technology is developed and advanced based on the accumulated engineering capabilities of organizations, leading to production and real-world application." The Corporate Innovation Award was established in 1986.

Randall also cautioned against focusing only on short-term technological breakthroughs. She said, "Paradigm-shifting technologies are rarely completed through a single, visible breakthrough; more often, they are the result of years of engineering effort in areas not easily seen by the public. The case of SK hynix is a reminder of this reality." She predicted, "Ultimately, the future will be shaped by those who solve the most difficult infrastructure problems first." This suggests that SK hynix will continue to contribute to human progress with similar achievements.

SK hynix also attributed this award to long-term investment in technology under the leadership of Chairman Chey Tae-won and its collaboration with customers. Hyun An, Chief Development Officer (CDO) of SK hynix, attended the event as the company’s representative and said, "We will become a leading company driving AI innovation by working closely with global customers and partners to create market value ahead of demand."

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