SK hynix and Intel are reportedly exploring a partnership to manufacture memory chips in the United States, potentially using part of Intel’s planned Ohio complex. The discussions, reported on September 16, 2026, remain exploratory: SK hynix says no specific cooperation arrangement or U.S. memory-production plan has been finalized.
The companies are weighing the idea as the artificial-intelligence boom strains memory supply and Washington pushes for more semiconductor production on U.S. soil. The practical details—product type, ownership, investment, capacity and schedule—are still part of the negotiation rather than a settled project.
Two possible structures are under discussion
The first reported option would have SK hynix lease part of Intel’s planned chipmaking complex in Ohio. That approach would pair SK hynix’s memory business with infrastructure Intel is already developing, while leaving the companies to define the manufacturing arrangement and responsibilities.
The second option would create a venture involving SK hynix, Intel and major cloud companies seeking more secure memory supplies. The cloud participants have not been named, and neither structure has been agreed.
| Possible structure | Participants or site | What it could change |
| Ohio lease | SK hynix and Intel’s planned Ohio complex | Could give SK hynix a potential U.S. manufacturing location through Intel’s site |
| Joint venture | SK hynix, Intel and major cloud companies | Could link memory production with large customers seeking supply security |
The choice matters because leasing space and creating a new venture would distribute investment, control and manufacturing responsibility differently. At this stage, both are scenarios under discussion—not an announced buildout.
The memory product has not been selected
The talks concern memory chips, but no specific technology has been assigned to the possible Ohio production. SK hynix’s portfolio includes DRAM, NAND flash and high-bandwidth memory, yet the reported discussions do not select one of those categories for the United States.
That distinction is especially important for AI hardware. High-bandwidth memory is used with AI processors, while DRAM serves servers, PCs and smartphones, and NAND flash is used for long-term data storage. Those are different manufacturing and commercial paths; mentioning one as the planned Ohio output would go beyond the current proposal.
Why Intel’s Ohio project matters
Intel announced its Ohio chipmaking complex in 2022 with potential investment of up to $100 billion. The project originally targeted production in 2025, but that timetable was later delayed. Intel says it continues investing to prepare the site, while the reported talks have revived the question of how the complex could be used as the company develops its U.S. manufacturing footprint.
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said in July 2026 that the group should build a U.S. factory if feasible. The position reflects pressure from customers and governments to expand memory supplies, although it does not amount to an announcement of a specific SK hynix facility.
The commercial case is balanced against higher U.S. labor, construction and supply-chain costs than in South Korea. A location that already has major semiconductor infrastructure could therefore be strategically attractive, but the economics would depend on the final technology, capacity and ownership model.
South Korean technology rules could affect the plan
South Korea’s trade ministry says a transfer involving designated national core technology would be subject to review under the Industrial Technology Protection Act. That is a conditional regulatory requirement, not an approval or rejection of the proposed arrangement.
Any future plan would therefore have to address both the U.S. manufacturing structure and the handling of technology protected under South Korean law. The companies have not announced that such a review has begun.
What happens next
SK hynix is continuing to evaluate production options, while Intel is continuing work at its Ohio site. A concrete announcement would need to identify the participating companies, the facility, the memory technology, the investment and the production timetable—details that remain undecided in the exploratory talks.
