Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix memory inventories fell to less than 10 days of supply in the third quarter. This historic shortage follows an unprecedented surge in demand for AI infrastructure.
Increased demand has strained production capacity for both DRAM and NAND chips. KB Securities analysts project that global investment in AI infrastructure will continue to rise significantly.
The industry shift to HBM4 memory further limits supply, as it requires more production capacity than standard DRAM. These factors are expected to trigger the tightest supply conditions in history next year.