'AI and high-speed SSDs are fueling India's gaming revolution': Sandisk VP on AI and gaming

India's gaming industry is experiencing remarkable growth, fueled by the availability of budget-friendly smartphones, expanding internet access, and a youthful, tech-savvy demographic. According to Taninder Sijher, Vice President of Systems Design Engineering at Sandisk, this growth is driving a substantial need for high-performance storage solutions. In a recent discussion with Business Today, Sijher outlined how artificial intelligence (AI) and the evolution of gaming are transforming storage needs and user expectations across the nation. He emphasized that the gaming boom is not confined to major cities; even Tier-2 and Tier-3 urban areas are playing a significant role in this trend. The rise of eSports and streaming platforms has led Indian gamers to engage in larger, more immersive gaming experiences, often sharing their gameplay online. "This surge in gaming has put storage at the center of the user experience," Sijher stated. Modern games are becoming larger due to improved graphics, regular updates, and additional content, making storage capacity only one aspect of the equation. "Storage is now a key enabler of performance," he noted, highlighting the growing demand for ultra-fast load times that require high-capacity and reliable storage solutions. The increasing popularity of real-time game recording, editing, and streaming has further heightened the importance of robust storage options. Gamers are not only playing; they are also creating and sharing content across various platforms. Sandisk's product lineup is tailored to meet the needs of everyone from casual mobile gamers to serious console and PC players. "As AI continues to enhance gaming experiences, our mission is to ensure that storage technology keeps up, allowing for smooth and responsive gameplay," Sijher explained. Despite being sensitive to price, Indian gamers are increasingly investing in high-performance storage, showcasing a significant trend in the adoption of solid-state drives (SSDs). According to the CMR India Consumer SSD Market Review Report for the third quarter of 2024, internal SSD shipments in India saw a remarkable 37% quarter-over-quarter growth. Gamers are becoming more informed, recognizing that high-performance SSDs, like the WD_BLACK SN8100, are essential for optimizing their next-generation gaming rigs. AI is also influencing storage demands, as more sophisticated AI workloads require adept solutions to manage complex and data-heavy applications. Sijher pointed out Sandisk's latest innovation: the 256TB NVMe SSD, specifically designed for AI-driven, data-intensive tasks. "This SSD is engineered for high-performance speeds and power efficiency, improving the total cost of ownership for large-scale applications in hyperscale cloud environments," he explained. As user expectations evolve, there is a clear shift away from one-size-fits-all storage solutions. Sijher noted that users are increasingly seeking speed, capacity, durability, portability, and seamless workflow integration. For content creators, the challenge lies in managing 4K and 8K video, RAW images, and large project files without impacting productivity. Products like the Creator Series and the WD Blue SN5100 NVMe SSD from Sandisk are designed to provide the high-speed, portable storage solutions that these professionals need. Looking ahead, Sijher is enthusiastic about advancements in high-capacity, high-performance, and power-efficient SSDs. He highlighted the potential of HBF technology to revolutionize edge AI. Innovations such as the UltraQLC 256TB NVMe SSD are setting new standards in hyperscale flash storage. With lower latency, higher bandwidth, and improved reliability, these solutions are poised to support the demands of today’s most challenging AI workloads. Sijher anticipates continued advancements in the storage sector as AI adoption expands, stating, "The ongoing innovations in the storage industry excite me greatly."