Computer-memory company Netlist has filed a new complaint with a US trade tribunal seeking to block imports of Micron memory chips used in AI computing products from Google, Nvidia and Broadcom, escalating a long-running patent fight at the heart of the AI hardware boom.
Netlist said on Tuesday that the complaint, first filed under seal at the US International Trade Commission on Friday, alleges that Micron's chips and the tech giants' products infringe two of its patents covering "high bandwidth memory" technology. The company asked the tribunal to bar imports of Micron's dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, as well as Google, Nvidia and Broadcom graphics processing units, servers and other products that incorporate Micron's allegedly infringing technology.
High-stakes AI supply chain
High-bandwidth memory has become one of the most strategically important components in artificial intelligence infrastructure, sitting alongside GPUs in the accelerators that train and run large AI models. An import ban covering the named products could therefore ripple well beyond Micron, touching the supply chains of three of the world's largest AI hardware vendors.
Spokespeople for Micron, Google, Nvidia and Broadcom did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.
Netlist chief executive C.K. Hong said in a statement: "Netlist has spent decades developing advanced memory technologies now used in rapidly expanding AI infrastructure. This action reflects our continued commitment to protecting our foundational technologies from unauthorized use."
History of litigation
This is not Netlist's first action against Micron. The company won a $445 million patent-infringement verdict against Micron in a Marshall, Texas federal court in 2024, and filed another ITC complaint against Micron in August over memory chips used in products from Super Micro Computer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo.
Netlist also settled a separate memory-patent dispute with Samsung in August, after winning $421 million in patent verdicts against the Korean technology giant in the same Texas court.
Sources: Reuters — Netlist seeks U.S. import ban on Micron chips used in Google, Nvidia AI computing; CoinCentral — Netlist Seeks US Import Ban on Micron Chips Used in Google and Nvidia Products
Netlist said on Tuesday that the complaint, first filed under seal at the US International Trade Commission on Friday, alleges that Micron's chips and the tech giants' products infringe two of its patents covering "high bandwidth memory" technology. The company asked the tribunal to bar imports of Micron's dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, as well as Google, Nvidia and Broadcom graphics processing units, servers and other products that incorporate Micron's allegedly infringing technology.
High-stakes AI supply chain
High-bandwidth memory has become one of the most strategically important components in artificial intelligence infrastructure, sitting alongside GPUs in the accelerators that train and run large AI models. An import ban covering the named products could therefore ripple well beyond Micron, touching the supply chains of three of the world's largest AI hardware vendors.
Spokespeople for Micron, Google, Nvidia and Broadcom did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.
Netlist chief executive C.K. Hong said in a statement: "Netlist has spent decades developing advanced memory technologies now used in rapidly expanding AI infrastructure. This action reflects our continued commitment to protecting our foundational technologies from unauthorized use."
History of litigation
This is not Netlist's first action against Micron. The company won a $445 million patent-infringement verdict against Micron in a Marshall, Texas federal court in 2024, and filed another ITC complaint against Micron in August over memory chips used in products from Super Micro Computer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo.
Netlist also settled a separate memory-patent dispute with Samsung in August, after winning $421 million in patent verdicts against the Korean technology giant in the same Texas court.
Sources: Reuters — Netlist seeks U.S. import ban on Micron chips used in Google, Nvidia AI computing; CoinCentral — Netlist Seeks US Import Ban on Micron Chips Used in Google and Nvidia Products
