Taiwan chipmaker CEO warns memory price rises are unsustainable

Interview Taiwan chipmaker CEO warns memory price rises are unsustainable Winbond's Chiao says AI demand is hitting consumers and other industries Arthur Chiao Yu-Cheng, CEO of NOR Flash memory maker Winbond, said only AI companies can afford such high prices for memory chips, with other industries "suffering and withering." (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Cheng Ting-Fang) CHENG TING-FANG November 9, 2026 11:26 JST YUNLIN, Taiwan -- The chairman and CEO of Taiwan's Winbond Electronics, the world's largest NOR flash chipmaker, has warned that relentless memory price hikes driven by insatiable demand for artificial intelligence are unsustainable, with consumers and non-AI industries bearing the brunt. Read Next Semiconductors DRAM prices double in 2026 as AI focus squeezes PC makers Tech Asia HP and Asus shift some PC making back to China due to AI-driven cost hikes Semiconductors SK Hynix quarterly profit soars sevenfold to $63bn on strong memory demand Semiconductors Samsung posts tech's biggest ever profit with blockbuster third quarter Semiconductors Memory breakthrough by China's CXMT puts chip rivals on back foot Semiconductors Micron won't pursue 4F-squared memory chips despite CXMT's advance: CTO Latest on Interview Interview India's IT lobby chief warns grads could struggle to find jobs due to AI Interview Fast-growing India is the next North America for Japan's Marubeni: CEO Interview Japan's Yamato targets 'leaner' delivery service in push for profit: president Sponsored Content About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.