The updated outlook reflects the ongoing artificial intelligence boom, which continues to drive strong demand from data centers and AI applications. TrendForce previously predicted 55% to 60% growth for DRAM prices in the first quarter, making this revision a significant upward adjustment.
In a statement, TrendForce said that persistent AI and data center demand in the first quarter of 2026 is worsening the global memory supply-demand imbalance, thereby increasing the pricing power of memory suppliers.
The sharp expected increase in DRAM prices underscores how the AI-driven surge in computing needs is reshaping the semiconductor market, pushing up costs for memory components essential to modern data processing and model training.