A latest forecast indicates that by 2030, the memory demand generated by humanoid robots is expected to soar by 20 times. This prospect means that, following AI servers and consumer electronics, humanoid robots are set to become the next growth driver for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Market research firm Counterpoint Research released data on the 11th stating that the memory demand in the humanoid robot industry DRAM is expected to increase by about 20 times, rising from approximately 8300 Tb (terabits) this year to 172,000 Tb by 2030.

This forecast reflects two major trends: humanoid robots are beginning to incorporate large-scale robot-based models—high-performance “brains” built on physical AI, which increases the DRAM capacity required per device; at the same time, the shipment volume of robots itself has also officially entered a growth phase. Counterpoint predicts that the DRAM capacity required for each humanoid robot will more than double, rising from 19 GB this year to 39 GB by 2030.

Data from Smart Analytics Global indicates that this year, the global shipment volume of humanoid robots is expected to reach 60,000 units, which is three times that of last year; by 2030, the shipment volume is projected to grow to approximately 500,000 units.

Industry insiders say that this trend will significantly boost the demand for low-power DRAM (i.e., LPDDR, which is commonly used memory in smartphones), as energy efficiency levels largely determine the performance of robots. Large-capacity NAND flash memory will also open up new markets in the robotics sector. Currently, HBM is facing capacity bottlenecks, and NAND flash memory, as a complementary storage solution for AI, is attracting market attention.

Memory manufacturers have already begun to make arrangements. In July, Samsung Electronics stated that the company is proactively developing the next generation of semiconductor solutions for robots, which include high-bandwidth, low-power memory, image sensors, wafer foundry services, and advanced packaging. Its Device Experience Division ( Device eXperience ) is leading the advancement of this market and has specifically established a Robot Experience Business Unit to carry out research and development related to humanoid robots.

SK Hynix plans to jointly develop the next generation of memory products for the NVIDIA Jetson Thor robot chip platform. Micron mentioned during its latest financial report conference call that autonomous vehicles at the L4 level and above typically come equipped with more than 200 GB of memory and several TB of storage space, and added that humanoid robots will require a similar level of memory and storage capacity.

Responsible Editor: Chen Yujia