Netlist broadens lawsuit against Samsung, Google over AI memory patents

Netlist filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission against Samsung, Google, and Super Micro, alleging infringement of six patents related to DDR5 memory and high-bandwidth memory. The company seeks to block imports of Samsung's DRAM modules, Google's Tensor Processing Units, and Super Micro's servers. This escalation follows previous jury verdicts awarding Netlist over $800 million in damages against Samsung and Micron.

Netlist broadens lawsuit against Samsung, Google over AI memory patents The small memory tech company is escalating its patent war by asking US customs to block imports of Samsung's DRAM modules and Google's AI chips Netlist, an Irvine, California-based memory technology company, filed a formal complaint with the US International Trade Commission against Samsung, Google, and Super Micro. The filing, dated September 30, 2025, alleges infringement of six patents tied to DDR5 memory modules and high-bandwidth memory HBM products. Netlist isn’t just asking for money this time. The company wants US Customs and Border Protection to physically block the import of Samsung’s infringing DRAM modules, Google’s Tensor Processing Units, and Super Micro’s servers. A patent portfolio with teeth In April 2023, a jury awarded Netlist $303.15 million against Samsung for patent infringement. A second jury verdict in November 2024 tacked on another $118 million against Samsung for separate infringements. And in 2024, Micron was ordered to pay Netlist $445 million for patent violations. The six patents at the center of the new ITC complaint include US Patent Nos. 12,737,366, 10,025,731, 10,268,608, 10,217,523, 9,824,035, and 12,308,087. These patents cover technologies used in DDR5 and HBM products. The ITC route is strategically different from a standard federal lawsuit. Rather than seeking damages through the courts, an ITC complaint asks for exclusion orders that can halt product imports at the border. The Samsung backstory The roots of this dispute trace back to 2015, when Netlist entered into a joint development agreement with Samsung. Netlist claims Samsung breached that agreement, effectively using Netlist’s proprietary technology to develop its own competing memory products without proper licensing or compensation. Google’s inclusion in the complaint adds another dimension. The company’s Tensor Processing Units are custom AI accelerators that power Google Cloud’s machine learning infrastructure. What this means for investors If the ITC grants exclusion orders against Samsung’s DRAM modules, it could tighten an already constrained supply chain for AI memory components. The ITC typically moves faster than federal courts, which means a preliminary ruling could arrive within months rather than years. Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy https://cryptobriefing.com/editorial-policy/ .