Outlook Business Desk
By December 2026, RAM supplies may run short, according to a CNBC report, as AI chipmakers like Nvidia, AMD, and Google consume more memory than the market can produce, impacting PCs and mobile devices worldwide.
According to report, AI GPUs require huge amounts of high-bandwidth memory. These specialised components are prioritised for AI workloads, reducing RAM availability for laptops, smartphones, and other consumer devices.
Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix dominate RAM production. Micron’s business chief, Sumit Sadana, was quoted by CNBC saying that AI demand has surged, straining memory supplies for consumer devices.
Micron’s shares have surged 247% this year, with profits tripling. Samsung expects its December quarter operating profit to rise sharply, driven by growing demand for memory components.
DRAM prices are also expected to increase 50–55% this quarter. Manufacturers prioritise AI companies, which are less price-sensitive, leaving consumer memory products costlier and harder to obtain.
Producing high-bandwidth memory for AI, as per a report, reduces conventional RAM supply threefold. This leaves laptops and smartphones facing shortages, as most of the memory capacity goes to AI production.
Apple and Dell are also assessing rising costs due to memory shortages. Memory now accounts for 20% of laptops’ hardware costs, up from 10–18% earlier in 2025.
Meanwhile, Micron says its 2026 RAM supply is fully booked, with only two-thirds of medium-term demand potentially met. Shortages and higher prices are set to continue into next year.