Nvidia Opens GPU-Direct Storage Software as Flash Vendors Join Storage-Next

StorageReview reports that Nvidia announced new software at FMS 2026 to reduce CPU involvement in GPU storage access. The central item is cuFile, an API for direct GPU reads and writes to storage, which Nvidia is open-sourcing through the XIO-SIG organization with founding maintainers that include Google, Intel, Meta, and Nvidia. The report also says Nvidia formally launched Storage-Next, with more than 40 storage and flash vendors involved, including DDN, Kioxia, and Micron. For RamTrend, this is an AI infrastructure signal: if GPU-centric storage paths become standard, enterprise SSD and flash suppliers may face new performance requirements and qualification opportunities. The payload does not indicate immediate NAND pricing changes, so the direct price impact remains unclear.