Facepalm: With AI demand pushing memory prices to record highs, consumers have been hoping that a swift end to the AI boom could make RAM affordable again. Memory manufacturer Micron, however, believes that even if the AI bubble bursts, the rapid growth of humanoid robot manufacturing could keep memory demand high through 2027 and beyond.
In its earnings guidance for FY27, Micron stated that it expects physical AI and humanoid robots to become even bigger drivers of memory and storage demand than AI data centers. According to CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, each humanoid robot would need at least around 200GB of DRAM and several terabytes of storage, fueling further growth in the semiconductor sector.
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Mehrotra also said he expects physical AI demand to accelerate significantly by the end of the decade, adding that several customers are already sampling next-generation memory and storage products. He had earlier claimed that humanoids will fuel a "sustained, substantial multi-decade memory demand cycle" in the coming years.
Meanwhile, Micron's FY2027 guidance had even more bad news for global tech consumers. Even though the industry is planning to add DRAM cleanroom space at a record pace, the company believes that "robust demand trends, including new upside requests from customers," will ensure that the supply-demand mismatch won't be resolved anytime soon.
Talking to CNBC in August, Mehrotra noted that autonomous vehicles are the first major use cases for physical AI, but robots and AI-enabled consumer devices will also fuel memory demand in the years ahead. "Memory today is essential. That's why I call it the strategic infrastructure of the AI era," he said, adding that current demand for memory chips is 50% higher than supply.
Micron is not the only company optimistic about the increased deployment of humanoid robots. According to Morgan Stanley, the sector is poised for exponential growth, with the global market estimated to reach 930 million units worth $5 trillion per year by 2050. In the near term, estimates vary between 250,000 and 1.2 million units per year by 2030.
The AI industry's insatiable demand for memory chips has propelled DRAM prices to unprecedented levels, helping memory manufacturers earn record profits. While Samsung and SK Hynix paid out massive bonuses to their employees from their windfall profits, Micron's two primary unions are now pushing for similar compensation for their members.