Global memory supplies are tightening as major manufacturers sell out their 2027 capacity to AI companies, risking higher prices and limited availability for consumers and PC makers.
Global memory supplies are tightening again as the artificial intelligence boom absorbs nearly all of the capacity that the industry’s biggest manufacturers can bring online. According to DigiTimes, Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron have already sold out their 2027 production of DRAM and HBM chips to AI companies, leaving no additional capacity earmarked for the retail market. The report suggests that the squeeze is being driven by long-term buying agreements, with major customers locking in output years in advance.
The impact is expected to spill far beyond data centres. For PC makers and ordinary buyers, the shortage could mean higher prices and less availability for mainstream memory products. NAND flash, used in solid-state drives, is also under pressure, although that market is not yet fully saturated because more companies produce it. Even so, SSD prices have been climbing for months, with DigiTimes reporting that a standard 1TB Western Digital SN7100 has risen 52% in price over the past six months.
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