Samsung Electronics has raised DRAM contract prices by 30% to 60% since September, driven by increased demand from AI infrastructure projects. The price of server-grade DDR5 modules, particularly 32GB units, has surged from $149 to $239, while 16GB and 128GB models have seen approximately a 50% increase. This shortage is impacting server manufacturers, cloud providers, and smartphone producers, leading to panic buying among some buyers. Analysts expect DRAM contract prices to rise 40–50% quarter-over-quarter through the end of the year. In response, Samsung plans to expand production in South Korea to address long-term demand.