Trend AI data-centre investment is structurally shifting memory demand and supply toward high-value chips

Summary

KIET sees AI adoption and data-centre expansion structurally lifting demand for high-performance semiconductors such as server memory and HBM. On the supply side, chipmakers are expanding HBM and server memory output to meet AI demand, which shrinks the supply of commodity memory. The result is a persistent imbalance in which commodity memory is also short, pushing memory prices up alongside demand for HBM, DDR5 and enterprise SSDs. Competitive AI investment by big tech firms is listed as a leading demand factor. The institute expects Korean chipmakers to benefit directly, with high-value memory driving exports and production. It also observes that Chinese chipmakers are catching up and intensifying competition.