The surface area \( A \) of a cube can be calculated using the formula:
\[ A = 6s^2 \]
where \( s \) is the length of a side of the cube. Given that the side length \( s \) is 8 inches, we can substitute this value into the formula:
\[ A = 6(8^2) = 6(64) = 384 \text{ square inches} \]
Therefore, the surface area of the cube is 384 square inches.