SEMI Forecasts 11.8% Growth in Silicon Wafer Shipments for 2026, Driven by AI Demand

SEMI has forecast an 11.8% increase in global silicon wafer shipments for 2026, reaching 14,420 million square inches (MSI), with continuous record highs anticipated through 2029. This growth is primarily attributed to robust AI-related demand, particularly for advanced epitaxial wafers used in leading-edge logic and polished wafers for memory applications like high-bandwidth memory (HBM).