Samsung has warned that the ongoing global memory chip shortage is set to worsen in 2027, with supply unlikely to ease before 2028. The company is one of several major RAM manufacturers facing accusations of price fixing and deliberately limiting supply to consumer markets in order to profit from surging demand from AI firms, a matter now the subject of an ongoing US lawsuit.

During a recent Q2 earnings call, Samsung executives said AI labs have been sharing long-term demand forecasts in an effort to secure future memory supply, giving Samsung leverage to push these firms into long-term contracts. While this benefits Samsung financially, it means higher component costs continue to hit consumer products such as smartphones and TVs. Neither Samsung nor rivals SK Hynix and Micron have shifted production back towards cheaper consumer-grade RAM despite the shortfall, a decision central to the price-fixing lawsuit against them.