Sam Altman meets Samsung and SK as the RAM shortage deepens: what it means for you
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met about 50 Samsung executives and SK's chairman in South Korea, days after calling idle PC memory "quite terrible." No deal was announced, but RAM prices may stay high.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spent the weekend in South Korea meeting the two biggest memory chip makers in the world, Samsung and SK Group (owner of SK hynix). The visit comes in the middle of a serious RAM shortage caused by AI data centers, and just days after Altman said it is “quite terrible” that so much memory sits unused in people’s computers. Here’s what happened and what it could mean for you.
What happened in South Korea?
According to Korean and international media reports, Altman had two important meetings on Saturday, October 31, 2026:
- Samsung: Altman met about 50 senior Samsung executives from its electronics, finance and biotech companies at Samsung’s Human Resources Development Center in Yongin, south of Seoul.
- SK Group: He also had lunch in Seoul with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. According to Dataconomy, senior executives from SK hynix and SK Telecom reportedly attended. SK hynix said it could not confirm the meeting.
What did they talk about?
Samsung described the meeting as part of an AI leadership program. According to Aju Press, topics included:
- New business opportunities created by AI
- Where AI development is heading
- How AI could change company decision-making over the next decade
Bloomberg reported that the visit was also about deepening cooperation on memory chips and AI infrastructure. The topics of the SK lunch were not disclosed.
Was a new chip deal signed?
No new deal has been announced. Neither company has shared any new contract, chip volumes, prices or delivery dates from these meetings. Headlines linked the trip to the memory shortage, but no participant has publicly said that was the reason.
However, the companies already have a partnership. In October 2025, Samsung and SK signed letters of intent with OpenAI to supply memory for Stargate, OpenAI’s giant AI data center project. OpenAI set a target of up to 900,000 DRAM wafers per month. That is a target, not a confirmed order.
Altman’s “quite terrible” comment
Two days before the trip, Altman spoke on the Cheeky Pint podcast with Stripe co-founder John Collison. When asked why high memory prices haven’t led to more supply, he said the “invisible hand is failing right now.” He argued that the RAM inside personal computers sits idle most of the time.
“It’s quite terrible to have everybody have a bunch of the world’s limited supply of DRAM.” Sam Altman, via The Verge
He added: “You want maximum utilization in the cloud if you’re trying to deal with this very supply constrained environment.” In other words, Altman thinks scarce memory is better used in busy data centers than in home PCs. Not everyone will agree, since that same memory is what makes your laptop or phone run smoothly.
Why is there a RAM shortage?
AI models need huge amounts of fast memory, especially HBM (high-bandwidth memory), which sits next to AI chips. Memory makers are shifting production to these profitable AI products, which leaves less for regular devices. Key facts:
- SK hynix says memory demand will exceed supply until 2030. Read our report on the memory chip shortage lasting until 2030.
- Samsung recently reported a record quarterly profit driven by AI memory demand.
- Market research firm TrendForce forecasts regular DRAM contract prices to rise another 10% to 15% in the fourth quarter of 2026, and has warned that PC memory supply could fall in 2027.
- According to Dataconomy, Altman said each memory maker is on track to generate about $100 billion in yearly free cash flow.
What it means for you
If OpenAI and other AI companies lock in even more memory, there may be less left for phones, laptops and gaming PCs. That could keep prices high for longer.
- Don’t wait for big price drops. If you need a new laptop or phone, buying sooner may be cheaper than waiting.
- Buy enough RAM upfront. Many laptops can’t be upgraded later. 16GB is a sensible minimum for most people.
- Watch for sales like Black Friday, which is coming up this month.
- Consider refurbished devices with a warranty.
Our guide explains why laptops and PCs are getting more expensive and how to save.
ByteTidings does not give financial advice. If you’re following memory or AI stocks, read the companies’ official filings before making decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Sam Altman go to South Korea?
He met around 50 Samsung executives in an AI leadership session and had lunch with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. Reports linked the trip to memory supply and AI infrastructure, but no new deal has been announced.
Did OpenAI sign a new RAM deal with Samsung?
No new deal has been announced. OpenAI already signed letters of intent with Samsung and SK in October 2025 for memory supply for its Stargate data center project.
What did Sam Altman say about PC memory?
On the Cheeky Pint podcast, he said it is “quite terrible” that so much of the world’s limited DRAM sits mostly idle in personal computers, and that memory should be used at maximum capacity in the cloud.
Will RAM prices go down soon?
Probably not soon. SK hynix expects the shortage to last until 2030, and TrendForce forecasts further DRAM price rises this quarter.
