Kioxia and Sandisk have jointly unveiled their 9th‑generation 2Tb QLC 3D NAND flash – targeting AI infrastructure and high‑workload data environments.

The chip uses their co‑developed CBA (CMOS directly bonded to Array) architecture, which separately fabricates the CMOS wafer and memory cell array before bonding – allowing independent optimization of each layer. Compared to the 8th‑gen 2Tb QLC, the new chip features a six‑plane architecture with multiple hardware enhancements, delivering higher read/write bandwidth and improved power efficiency. The NAND interface speed reaches 4.8Gb/s – a 33% increase over the previous generation.

Kioxia CTO Eiji Miyashima noted that AI has expanded from generative AI to agents and physical AI, creating more complex data processing demands. The 9th‑gen balances cost control with performance gains through advanced cell processing and a refreshed CMOS architecture.

Sandisk CTO Alper Ilkbahar added that AI adoption is accelerating storage interface evolution, and the CBA architecture’s ability to upgrade circuit and memory layers separately gives the 9th‑gen a distinct time‑to‑market advantage.

ICgoodFind Take:
2Tb QLC + 4.8Gb/s interface + CBA flexibility – this is a direct response to AI’s insatiable storage appetite. For procurement, QLC is no longer just cost‑tier – it’s performance‑tier for enterprise SSDs. Watch for volume qualification cycles.