The global RAM shortage will last several more years as the fast-growing AI industry consumes most available hardware. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan recently confirmed this outlook at the Asia Future Forward event in Singapore, a major technology conference hosted by DBS Bank.
During the event, Tan told industry leaders that key AI hardware, especially computer memory, will stay in very short supply for the next two to three years. He said this ongoing global problem arises from long-standing issues in the technology supply chain.
Although the Intel executive mainly talked about the RAM, GPUs, and CPUs needed for large data centers, this shift also affects regular consumers. Since manufacturers make much higher profits by selling to AI developers, memory for consumer PCs is becoming less of a priority.
As major chipmakers focus on the fast-growing AI sector, people who want to build or upgrade their own computers will find it harder to get the parts they need.
A recent Barclays financial report shows how these shortages are affecting the economy.
According to Tech Radar, wholesale prices from major chipmakers have risen sharply in the past three months alone. Standard DDR4 RAM prices are up 24 percent, and newer DDR5 memory has increased by 20 percent.
These big jumps in wholesale prices match the price increases that consumers are now seeing at regular stores.
The long-term outlook is also tough for PC builders. Barclays analysts say that Micron, one of the world’s biggest memory makers, expects global RAM supplies to stay tight through 2028. This means the tech market probably won’t see much improvement until at least 2029.
As AI and advanced robotics keep needing more memory, experts think that 2027 and 2028 will have the same tough market conditions as this year. In the end, gamers and PC builders should be ready for ongoing hardware shortages and rising prices through the rest of the decade.