Netlist Seeks US Import Ban on Micron Chips Used in Google, Nvidia AI Products

Computer-memory company Netlist Inc. has asked a U.S. trade tribunal to block the importation of memory chips made by Micron Technology that are used in artificial intelligence products from Google, Nvidia, and Broadcom. The complaint, filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), represents a significant escalation in the ongoing patent disputes within the high-performance computing sector.

Details of the Complaint

Netlist alleges that Micron's dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices infringe on two of its patents related to "high bandwidth memory" technology, which is critical for AI computing. The complaint, first filed under seal on Friday, seeks an import ban on the allegedly infringing Micron chips.

The company is also targeting finished products that incorporate this technology, including servers, graphics processing units (GPUs), and other hardware from Google, Nvidia, and Broadcom. According to the report from Reuters, spokespeople for the four companies did not immediately provide a comment on the filing.

A History of Litigation

This ITC action is the latest in a series of legal challenges Netlist has launched to protect its intellectual property. The company is leveraging its past successes in court to apply pressure on major technology firms.

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Key background points include:

• In 2024, Netlist won a $445 million patent infringement verdict against Micron in a Texas federal court.
• In August, Netlist filed a separate ITC complaint against Micron over memory chips used in products from Super Micro Computer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Lenovo.
• Netlist also recently settled a patent dispute with Samsung after securing $421 million in verdicts against the South Korean electronics giant in the same Texas court.

Market Implications

An import ban by the ITC, if granted, could cause significant disruption to the supply chain for AI infrastructure, a market experiencing explosive growth. The components in question are fundamental to the powerful systems that train and run AI models. The action underscores the high stakes involved in the intellectual property that underpins the AI hardware boom.

"Netlist has spent decades developing advanced memory technologies now used in rapidly expanding AI infrastructure," Netlist CEO C.K. Hong said in a statement. "This action reflects our continued commitment to protecting our foundational technologies from unauthorized use."