The frenzied race for artificial intelligence continues to vampirize global semiconductor production capacities. Alongside record financial results in the third quarter of 2026, Samsung confirmed that the colossal demand from Data Centers for memory chips dedicated to AI will drastically reduce the supply of conventional components next year. A situation that will directly impact the availability and price of our future computers, tablets, and smartphones.
The increase in memory chip prices, and therefore electronic devices, will continue and may even worsen next year, says Samsung, one of only three companies in the world to sell this kind of component. A reminder of the situation in 2026: the AI giants are buying up all DRAM and NAND memory processors, components essential for their data centers, to the detriment of the consumer tech sector, causing price increases and release delays for electronic devices.
Record results, but at the expense of the general public
&At the time of announcing its third-quarter results, marked by a historic operating profit driven by demand for cutting-edge memory, Samsung appeared pessimistic about what awaits us in 2027, corroborating a sentiment already mentioned at the beginning of the year.
Consumer DDR5 memory left unmentioned
The Korean company thus described its estimates for next year: “Demand driven by AI, which is rising sharply, risks further worsening supply shortages compared with fiscal year 2026.” Such strong and monopolistic demand that Samsung did not even mention consumer DDR5 memory in its results, the company focusing exclusively on building “a stable sales base through long-term contracts and ensuring that new products, tailored to the needs of AI applications, are ready on time”.
The shortage of traditional memory chips is therefore expected to extend throughout 2027 and also affect 2028, which will inevitably translate into higher manufacturing costs, and therefore higher sale prices for all future consumer electronic devices.
