Demand from AI data centers could exacerbate the memory shortage, further worsening it by 2027.
There could be a prolonged period before the RAM shortage, which is increasing prices for items like phones and gaming handhelds, subsides. Samsung, in its Thursday earnings call, predicted that the memory shortage driven by AI data center demand would not only persist into next year but likely become more severe, as reported by Reuters.
During the earnings call, Samsung memory chip executive Kim Jaejune mentioned:
“Our supply fails to meet customer demand. Based solely on 2027 demand projections, the supply-demand gap for that year is expected to widen even further than in 2026.”
Samsung’s forecast aligns with recent reports that the primary RAM producers might not balance supply and demand until 2030. The situation could worsen for Samsung if no resolution is reached with its labor union, which plans an 18-day strike commencing on May 21st.