WD at Computex 2026: AI Doesn't Just Run on Compute - It Runs on Data

Key Terms

hamr technical

A data storage technology that uses short, intense heat to temporarily make tiny spots on a disk easier to magnetize, allowing many more bits to fit in the same physical space. Think of it as briefly warming a frozen surface so a stamp leaves a clearer, smaller impression; that higher packing density can lower cost per gigabyte and enable more compact, higher-capacity drives. Investors care because wider adoption can boost demand for drive makers, component suppliers and data-center operators while influencing pricing and margins across the storage industry.

jbods technical

JBODs (short for “just a bunch of disks”) are storage setups that connect multiple hard drives or solid‑state drives so each disk operates independently rather than as part of a unified, redundant array. For investors, JBODs signal a low‑cost, straightforward way to add raw capacity but with higher risk of data loss and lower performance compared with integrated or redundant storage solutions—think a stack of separate boxes for files versus a single locked filing cabinet.

nvme-of technical

NVMe-oF (NVMe over Fabrics) is a way to connect very fast solid-state storage to computers across a network so that remote drives respond almost as quickly as local ones. Think of it as replacing a slow postal service with an express courier for data: it cuts delays and boosts throughput for large databases and cloud services. Investors care because it can lower data-center costs, enable higher performance products, and drive demand for networking and storage vendors.

ceph technical

A ceph is shorthand for a cephalosporin, a family of antibiotics used to treat a range of bacterial infections; think of them like different models from the same carmaker built on a shared design. Investors watch mentions of ceph drugs because approvals, patent expirations, new formulations, or rising bacterial resistance can change sales, regulatory risk, and competitive dynamics in pharmaceutical portfolios.

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WD Takes the Stage at Computex to Reframe AI Infrastructure as a Data System and Demonstrates the Storage Innovations and Platforms Required to Scale Persistent AI Workloads Economically and Reliably

SAN JOSE, Calif. & TAIPEI, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Western Digital Corporation (Nasdaq: WDC), the storage foundation of the AI-driven data economy, today announced its presence at Computex 2026 to help the industry understand that AI infrastructure is fundamentally a data system, not just a compute system. Every AI workload - from training and inference to agentic and physical AI – continuously creates data that persists, compounds, and expands over time. This dynamic is fundamentally changing how businesses must design AI infrastructure for scale.

This shift exposes the core challenge for AI builders: managing exponential data growth while maintaining performance and economic efficiency at scale. How that data is managed determines whether AI delivers lasting business value or becomes an unsustainable cost. WD is at Computex addressing this reality with a forum session keynote, booth demonstrations and new storage innovations.

Forum Session: "Reinventing Storage for AI at Scale"
Ahmed Shihab, Chief Product Officer, WD. June 4, 2026, 11:00–11:25 AM, TaiNex 2, Room 701

WD Chief Product Officer Ahmed Shihab will discuss why AI infrastructure can no longer be designed primarily around compute performance, and why persistent data growth, tiered architectures, and infrastructure economics are becoming the defining constraints of AI at scale.

“The shift toward AI-driven workloads is placing new demands on storage systems, requiring higher throughput, greater capacity, and improved reliability across multiple tiers,” said John Chen, Vice President at TRENDFOCUS. “WD’s advancements in HDD and platform technologies reflect the kinds of innovations needed to support increasingly data-intensive AI environments at scale.”

Meet WD at Computex 2026
June 2–5, 2026, Booth #R1308, 4F, Hall 2, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center

• WD's exhibit brings this data-centric architecture to life, demonstrating how storage underpins AI systems at scale. Visitors will see WD's Ultrastar® HDD high-capacity storage portfolio spanning UltraSMR, ePMR and HAMR. The company will also be highlighting its two industry-first advanced HDD innovations: High Bandwidth Drive Technology and Dual Pivot Drive Technology, which together project a 4x increase in HDD throughput while maintaining the relative I/O per TB rate customers enjoy today. This reduces the need for customers to increase SSD deployment or rearchitect services as capacity scales.

• WD’s Platform solutions highlighted will include the Ultrastar Data Series JBODs, OpenFlex® EBOF, and RapidFlex® NVMe-oF™ controller. These solutions help cloud, neo cloud and HPC companies accelerate adoption by optimizing capacity and performance, reducing costs, and improving time to value without requiring costly infrastructure designs. WD is also showcasing its new Ultrastar Data 3000 series JBODs, delivering the scalable capacity required for AI data growth. Using ArcticFlow™ multizone cooling and patented IsoVibe™ vibration isolation technologies, the Ultrastar Data 3000 series optimizes performance and reliability by reducing drive return rates by up to 62%¹ in a platform designed for dependable operation at scale. The 3000 series also offers 12 ports of 24 Gb/s SAS‑4 host connectivity, enabling customers to stay ahead of bandwidth demands as capacity and workload intensities grow.

• WD will also share tiered storage solutions, including architectures built on Ceph and others developed with IBM® Storage Scale and XTAO, that align performance and economics to each stage of the AI data lifecycle, increasing GPU efficiency while lowering cost at scale through tiered system-level architectures.

• The globally recognized WD Color portfolio including WD Gold®, WD Red®, and WD Purple®, as well as the rebranded G-DRIVE® family of external storage solutions designed for content creators, will also be on display.

Together, these innovations position WD as a key foundational layer in AI infrastructure, enabling the persistence, movement, and scalability of data across environments.

“Computex is a great opportunity to connect with AI leaders and builders from around the world at a pivotal moment for the industry,” said Stefan Mandl, Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at WD. “AI is driving data growth at a scale and pace the industry has never seen before, and the organizations that recognize AI as a data system are the ones that will build AI that scales economically and efficiently over the long term. WD provides the durable, scalable and economically efficient data infrastructure foundation required to support AI systems over the long term.”

Visit WD’s booth #R1308 to meet our team, our show partners, see our solutions in action, and explore how to scale AI data systems efficiently, economically, and with long-term confidence.

About WD

WD, also known as Western Digital, builds the storage infrastructure that powers certainty in the AI-driven data economy. At the forefront of innovation, WD partners with the world's leading hyperscalers, cloud service providers, and enterprises to deliver reliable storage solutions that are proven and trusted at scale. Driven by a culture of innovation and execution, WD helps customers store, protect, and use the world's data with confidence. Follow WD on LinkedIn and learn more at www.wd.com.

¹ Based on observed and projected drive return rate data compared to generation without such features, does not change product specifications or warranty.

© Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates. All rights reserved. WD, the WD Design, Western Digital, ArcticFlow, IsoVibe, OpenFlex, G-DRIVE, RapidFlex, Ultrastar, WD Gold, WD Purple, and WD Red are registered trademarks or trademarks of Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates in the US and/or other countries. Ceph is a trademark or registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. IBM is a registered trademark or trademarks of IBM Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. The NVMe-oF word mark is a trademark of NVM Express, Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

This media alert contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable federal securities laws. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260601510484/en/

Media Contact:
WD.Mediainquiries@wdc.com

Source: Western Digital Corporation