Samsung Electronics says the global memory-chip shortage is likely to worsen in 2027 and continue through 2028, as demand from AI infrastructure outstrips the industry’s ability to add manufacturing capacity. The warning matters because constrained supplies are expected to keep memory prices high for businesses and consumers, while boosting profits for major suppliers such as Samsung.

Samsung attributes the pressure to AI model training and agentic AI, which are increasing demand for servers and related infrastructure; manufacturers are prioritising AI-focused memory over chips used in PCs and smartphones. New fabrication plants take more than three years to begin producing wafers, and Samsung is offering multi-year supply agreements to customers able to commit to future demand. Its second-quarter revenue rose 130% year on year to ₩171.5 trillion ($119 billion), while operating profit increased more than nineteenfold to ₩89.5 trillion ($62.4 billion).