SEMI’s latest 300 mm Fab Outlook signals that worldwide memory‑fab equipment spending will top $50 billion in 2026, up 29% from the prior year to $52 billion. The jump follows a surge in AI‑driven demand for higher‑bandwidth memories, compelling cloud providers to commit more capital to capacity and technology migration.

Projected growth climbs 11% to $57 billion in 2027, while a 19% CAGR from 2024 to 2029 keeps the sector on an upward trajectory. Capacity forecasts rise to 4.1 million wafers per month in 2026 and 4.2 million in 2027, underscoring the scale of AI infrastructure expansion for manufacturers worldwide.

Ajit Manocha, SEMI President and CEO, notes that high‑bandwidth and DDR5 demand from GPUs and AI accelerators drives DRAM spending to $37 billion in 2026, while 3D NAND investment climbs 28% to $14 billion. The forecast reflects a broader push toward advanced‑node memory and higher‑layer NAND production.

With 413 facilities and 155 updates worldwide, the outlook shows a steady stream of new fabs and line additions, including seven fresh projects since March 2026. The data underscore how AI’s relentless appetite for compute and storage is reshaping the semiconductor supply chain, setting a new benchmark for memory capacity and cost efficiency.