The ongoing RAM crisis, which has driven memory prices significantly higher, is projected to continue until at least 2028, according to Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. During an earnings call for the company's 2026 financial year, Mehrotra indicated that consumers can expect "much higher prices" for RAM in the coming year.
Micron, alongside Samsung and SK Hynix, faces accusations in a US lawsuit of exacerbating the memory shortage through alleged price-fixing practices. Mehrotra revealed that Micron has already committed the majority of its memory production for the next year, further tightening supply. He stated that demand is expected to outstrip supply in both calendar years 2027 and 2028, with an even greater tightness anticipated compared to 2026. "We do not have line of sight to when supply and demand will return to balance," Mehrotra commented.
The CEO also noted that Micron, along with its major competitors, is prioritizing fulfillment of AI data center orders. This strategic focus diverts resources and production capacity away from consumer-grade memory, contributing to the higher costs for individuals seeking to upgrade or replace PC components. The concentration on high-demand AI infrastructure, while leaving consumer demand underserved, is a central point of the aforementioned US lawsuit. The legal action posits that the three leading manufacturers are not acting as genuine competitors, thereby enabling price fixing—a practice for which these companies have faced scrutiny and penalties in past decades.
As a result, consumers are likely to continue facing elevated prices for RAM, while chip manufacturers are poised to maintain substantial profit margins amid these constrained market conditions.