The global supply of high-performance memory chips is expected to remain constrained throughout 2024, driven by the soaring demand for artificial intelligence technology.
What Happened: The supply of high-end memory chips is projected to remain tight due to the exponential demand for AI technology, as per a CNBC report on Tuesday. This is likely to affect the supply of these chips for the rest of 2024 and well into 2025.
Leading memory chip suppliers, including SK Hynix and Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU), are already facing a shortage of high-bandwidth memory chips for 2024, with the stock for 2025 also nearly depleted.
′′We expect the general memory supply to remain tight throughout 2024," Kazunori Ito, director of equity research at Morningstar said in a report.
The demand for AI chipsets has significantly boosted the high-end memory chip market, benefiting major players such as Samsung Electronics (OTC:SSNLF) and SK Hynix, the top two memory chipmakers globally.
"The manufacturing of these chips are more complex and ramping up production has been difficult. This likely sets up shortages through the rest of 2024 and through much of 2025," said William Bailey, director at Nasdaq IR Intelligence.
Chip manufacturers are competing intensely to produce cutting-edge memory chips to capitalize on the AI surge.
In a recent press conference, SK Hynix announced its initiation of mass production for the latest HBM chips, the 12-layer HBM3E, starting in the third quarter. Samsung Electronics, on the other hand, plans to commence mass production in the second quarter, having already shipped samples of this advanced chip, marking an industry-first achievement.
"Currently Samsung is ahead in 12-layer HBM3E sampling process. If they can get qualification earlier than its peers, I assume it can get majority shares in end-2024 and 2025," said SK Kim, executive director and analyst at Daiwa Securities.
Why It Matters: The global race to control chip supply is intensifying, with China recently overtaking the U.S. in semiconductor spending. This has become a key focus for Western governments in their efforts to compete with China in the industry.
Additionally, the U.S. and China are set to discuss the potential risks of advanced AI in upcoming talks in Geneva. The talks will explore ways to mitigate the potential dangers of this emerging technology, which is driving the demand for high-end memory chips.
Meanwhile, NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) is expected to continue delivering strong pricing power and upside surprises through fiscal-year 2026, according to HSBC Global Research. This is likely to further fuel the demand for high-end memory chips.
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受人工智能技術需求激增的推動，預計全球高性能存儲芯片的供應將在2024年全年保持受限。
發生了什麼：根據CNBC週二的報道，由於對人工智能技術的需求呈指數級增長，預計高端存儲芯片的供應將保持緊張。這可能會影響2024年剩餘時間以及2025年的這些芯片的供應。
包括SK海力士和美光科技公司（納斯達克股票代碼：MU）在內的領先存儲芯片供應商已經面臨2024年的高帶寬存儲芯片短缺，2025年的庫存也幾乎耗盡。
晨星股票研究董事伊藤和典在一份報告中說：“我們預計在整個2024年，總體存儲器供應將保持緊張。”
對人工智能芯片組的需求極大地推動了高端存儲芯片市場，使全球前兩家存儲芯片製造商三星電子（場外交易代碼：SSNLF）和海力士等主要參與者受益。
“這些芯片的製造更加複雜，提高產量一直很困難。這可能會導致2024年剩餘時間和2025年的大部分時間出現短缺。” 納斯達克投資者關係情報董事威廉·貝利說。
芯片製造商正在激烈競爭，生產尖端的存儲芯片，以利用人工智能的激增。
在最近的新聞發佈會上，SK 海力士宣佈從第三季度開始批量生產最新的 HBM 芯片，即 12 層 HBM3E。另一方面，三星電子計劃在第二季度開始批量生產，已經出貨了這種先進芯片的樣品，這是業界首創的成就。
“目前，三星在 12 層 HBM3E 採樣過程中處於領先地位。如果他們能比同行更早獲得資格，我認爲它可以在2024年底和2025年獲得多數股權。” 大和證券執行董事兼分析師SK Kim表示。
爲何重要：控制芯片供應的全球競賽正在加劇，中國的半導體支出最近超過了美國。這已成爲西方政府努力與中國在該行業競爭的重點。
此外，美國和中國將在即將在日內瓦舉行的會談中討論先進人工智能的潛在風險。會談將探討如何減輕這種新興技術的潛在危險，這種新興技術正在推動對高端存儲芯片的需求。
同時，根據匯豐環球研究的數據，英偉達公司（納斯達克股票代碼：NVDA）預計將在2026財年之前繼續提供強大的定價能力和上行驚喜。這可能會進一步推動對高端存儲芯片的需求。
圖片來自 Shutterstock
