Semiconductor equipment sales set for all-time high on AI boom

July 21, 2026 (MLN): The global semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is set to touch a record high in 2028, driven by rising investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

 Global semiconductor equipment sales are projected to surge 23.2% on-year to $165.9bn in 2026, before climbing to an all-time high of $229.5bn in 2028.

The projections come from a report released Tuesday by SEMI, a global industry association representing around 3,000 electronics design and manufacturing companies worldwide, APP reported.

The expansion of AI infrastructure, alongside investment in advanced logic chips and next-generation memory products such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM), will be the key drivers of this growth, the association said.

The wafer fabrication equipment segment alone is projected to reach $200bn by 2028, backed by expanded AI-related production capacity and an industry-wide shift toward advanced manufacturing processes.

Memory equipment investment is also expected to see substantial growth, driven by rising HBM demand and the transition to advanced dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and NAND flash products.

Equipment sales for DRAM and NAND are forecast at $56.9bn and $20.8bn, respectively, by 2028.

By region, China, Taiwan and South Korea are expected to hold onto their positions as the world's top three markets for semiconductor equipment investment through 2028.

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