OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed recent criticism regarding his views on DRAM usage. In an interview with the YouTube channel Cheeky Pint, Altman suggested that personal computers holding large amounts of memory used only 5% of the time is inefficient, advocating for maximum utilization in cloud environments instead.
Altman clarified on X that his comments were taken out of context. He stated that he supports widespread access to memory and has long encouraged manufacturers to increase production. Following the backlash, which included a critique from Elon Musk, Altman briefly changed his display name to Ram Altman.
The controversy occurs during a global memory shortage fueled by AI data center demand. SK hynix has warned that demand will likely exceed supply through 2030. According to Tom's Hardware, contract prices for 16GB DDR5 chips rose from $8.70 in October 2025 to $48 in September 2026, a 550% increase.
Industry executives remain cautious about future availability. Team Group CEO Chen Ching-wen noted during an earnings call that there is currently no downward price trend for memory components. This supply crunch has already impacted consumer electronics, with Meta and Sony raising prices on their hardware devices.
