Samsung Predicts RAM Price Increases Due to Cost Pressures

Challenges in Semiconductors Could Impact Everyone, Warns Samsung Executive

Samsung has indicated that a shortage in RAM, driven by the demands of AI data centers, may soon lead to a rise in their product prices. This revelation comes from an interview with Wonjin Lee, Samsung's head of global marketing, conducted by Bloomberg at CES 2026. Just last month, the tech giant informed Reuters of its ongoing market assessment without definitive statements on pricing, suggesting a strategic pivot to prepare stakeholders for potential changes.

According to Lee, the semiconductor supply chain is facing significant hurdles, affecting the broader market profoundly. He mentioned, 'We're seeing an uptick in costs as I speak. While we strive to shield customers from these increases, the situation may compel us to reassess our pricing strategies.'

AI Demands Fueling RAM Shortages

The ongoing RAM scarcity stems from intensive consumption by AI data centers, which require substantial amounts of high-performance memory. This demand shift has prompted manufacturers to prioritize high-bandwidth memory production, inadvertently impacting the availability of standard RAM used in simpler applications like car systems.

Sanchit Vir Gogia, the CEO of Greyhound Research, highlighted to NPR in December the inherent memory-centric nature of AI workloads. 'AI's evolution has redefined demand. Systems for training and inference necessitate vast, persistent memory allocations, high bandwidth, and immediate access to computing power. Reducing these parameters would compromise functionality,' Gogia explained.

The AI Boom: A Double-Edged Sword?

Since the launch of ChatGPT over three years ago, enthusiasm for AI technologies, including conversational agents and generative algorithms, has surged. Promoters herald these innovations as transformative, capable of streamlining everyday tasks through automation. However, there is speculation about the longevity of this AI fervor. Some economic experts caution about unsustainable growth. Despite the buzz, consumers and professionals seem to be bearing the brunt of these developments with few immediate benefits.