Micron builds $24 bn Singapore chip fab as AI demand soars

The US chip manufacturer Micron announced on Tuesday that it was constructing a $24 billion facility in Singapore to assist in fulfilling the skyrocketing demand for memory components due to AI.

The memory chips used in consumer electronics are being used by artificial intelligence data centers across the globe, which might lead to an increase in the cost of phones, laptops, and other gadgets.

According to Micron, construction on a “advanced wafer fabrication facility located within the company’s existing NAND manufacturing complex in Singapore” began on Tuesday.

NAND storage components power everyday gadgets but are also needed to help process the vast amounts of data crunched by generative AI.

“This new facility represents a planned investment of approximately US$24 billion (SG$31 billion) over 10 years” with output scheduled for the second half of calendar 2028, Micron said.

It said the plant would “address growing market demand for NAND technology driven by the rapid expansion of AI and data-centric applications”.

In 2026, supply chain pressure for memory chips “will be far greater than this year”, Lu Weibing, president of Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi, said in November.

“Everyone will likely observe that retail prices for products will see a significant increase,” he warned.

Singapore said Saturday it would invest around US$785 million in public research on AI through 2030 to enhance its global competitiveness.

This article has been posted by a News Hour Correspondent. For queries, please contact through [email protected]
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