AI boom takes memory


"And the culprit is a shortage of RAM and flash memory chips that has suddenly sent SSD and (especially) memory prices into the stratosphere, caused primarily by the ongoing AI boom and exacerbated by panic-fueled buying by end users and device manufacturers.

"Memory makers in particular may be slow to ramp up manufacturing capacity in response to shortages. 

"If they decide to start manufacturing more chips now, what happens if memory demand drops off a cliff in six months or a year (if, say, an AI bubble deflates or pops altogether)? 

"It means an oversupply of memory chips —consumers benefit from rock-bottom prices for components, but it becomes harder for manufacturers to cover their costs. 

"Memory shortages in late 2016 and 2017, for example, led to oversupply and big price cuts in 2018 and 2019, and some pretty awful earnings reports for manufacturers like Samsung and SK Hynix."

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