The global memory market is undergoing a significant transformation, largely driven by the explosive growth in computing power, particularly within the artificial intelligence (AI) sector. According to Luo Xiaodong, Vice President of ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), server memory demand has already surpassed 50% of the total market volume, positioning it as the primary growth engine for the entire industry.
Differentiated Demand in the Memory Market
Speaking at the 8th IC Entrepreneurship Conference, Luo Xiaodong highlighted the continuous upward trajectory of computing power. Projections indicate that global AI computing power will see an annual growth rate of 96.1% from 2024 to 2031. Concurrently, the overall annual demand for DRAM is expected to grow by 21% between 2026 and 2030. However, the influence of AI is causing a noticeable divergence in demand growth across different market segments.
“The server segment is exhibiting the highest growth rates, becoming the main driver for the data storage market,” noted Luo Xiaodong. The server market is anticipated to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29%. Other promising segments include the automotive market, with a projected CAGR of 30% driven by the proliferation of intelligent driving technologies, and the mobile device market, which is expected to see a CAGR of 6%.
New Dimensions for Memory Performance
Luo Xiaodong emphasized that the current memory market is entering an “era of differentiation,” where the needs of various market segments vary considerably. Currently, the server market accounts for over 50% of the total memory demand, with a significant increase in the need for high-performance solutions and premium chips.
“The industry must move beyond the traditional perception of memory, which solely focused on capacity and speed,” he stated. Based on current market demands, memory can now be analyzed across five key parameters:
- Capacity
- Bandwidth
- Write Speed
- Access Granularity
- Latency
ChangXin Memory Technologies’ Outlook
According to preliminary reports, ChangXin Memory Technologies’ (CXMT) product portfolio is primarily divided into DDR and LPDDR series. For the first half of 2026, the company projected the following revenue contributions:
- DDR series revenue: 69.472 billion yuan, accounting for 46.22% of total revenue.
- LPDDR series revenue: 78.191 billion yuan, accounting for 52.02% of total revenue.
However, the share of the DDR series in the company’s overall revenue is showing a steady increase. This trend is attributed to the release of DDR5 products in late 2024, which have demonstrated consistent sales growth, consequently boosting the revenue contribution from the DDR series.
Demand Outstripping Supply
CXMT reports that the rapid development of AI-driven applications is fueling substantial demand for its products, particularly within the server segment, where clients continue to express strong interest. Against this backdrop, a DRAM shortage is likely to persist. The company expects its revenue to continue growing in the fourth quarter.
Source: ithome.com
