Memory Industry Executives Expect RAM Shortage to Continue Through 2028

Executives in the memory chip industry expect a shortage of RAM to persist through 2028, according to a report by Ars Technica.

The report said prices for memory sold for delivery in 2027 are already running much higher than 2026 prices, pointing to sustained upward pressure on costs well before the shortage is expected to ease. Ars Technica's report did not specify exact pricing figures or name the particular executives or companies making the projection.

Drivers of the Shortage

Memory chip shortages and price swings have periodically affected the broader electronics industry, with demand from sectors such as data centers, artificial intelligence hardware, smartphones, and personal computers all competing for limited manufacturing capacity. Expansion of AI infrastructure in particular has been cited in recent years as a significant driver of demand for high-performance memory components.

The report does not detail which specific types of memory, such as DRAM or NAND flash, are most affected, nor does it specify which manufacturers are facing the tightest supply constraints. It also does not indicate what, if any, steps memory producers are taking to expand capacity in response to anticipated continued demand.

A prolonged shortage lasting through 2028 would have implications for the cost of a wide range of consumer and enterprise electronics that rely on memory chips, potentially affecting pricing for devices ranging from smartphones and laptops to servers used in data centers.