AI Memory Demand Books Out Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix Through 2027

Memory makers Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix have fully booked their production capacity for 2027 due to record demand, according to Digitimes, citing industry sources. The current memory shortage is only a precursor to a more severe crisis, which is why customers are paying a premium to reserve volumes so far in advance.

Such agreements typically run for three to five years, the report notes. If the supply-demand balance remains unchanged, the market faces a rough period ahead. One potential escape could be new entrants starting DRAM production, possibly targeting the consumer segment with lower-performance parts. However, setting up those fabrication lines takes considerable time, so a quick fix is unlikely. The AI bubble could burst within the next couple of years, but experts are not betting on it.

Meanwhile, Framework, known for its modular and repairable computers, has notified customers of a data breach. An email sent to buyers states that their names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses were exposed due to a zero-day vulnerability in the Metabase database system. Metabase disclosed the incident on August 3, but Framework has yet to make a public statement. Copies of the email surfaced online only because several customers posted them on social media. Company representatives also declined to provide exact figures on affected users when speaking with TechCrunch. Despite sympathy for Framework's approach to customization and repairability, such secrecy raises concerns.

These and similar issues can be discussed at the HOPE 26 conference in New York, which opens in just a few days. Organizers say fewer than 150 tickets remain, and it looks unlikely that tickets will be sold at the door.