Core Viewpoint - Flash memory prices are experiencing a significant increase, with some products seeing price rises close to 40% due to supply constraints and surging demand driven by AI applications [1][6][7] Price Trends - 1Tb QLC has increased by 25.00% to $12.50 - 1Tb TLC has risen by 23.81% to $13.00 - 512Gb TLC has the highest increase at 38.46%, now priced at $9.00 - 256Gb TLC has increased by 14.58% to $5.50 [1][2] Supply and Demand Dynamics - Major storage companies like Samsung, SK Hynix, Kioxia, and Micron have collectively reduced NAND supply since the second half of this year, with reductions of 15% for Samsung, 20% for SK Hynix, and 12% and 18% for Kioxia and Micron respectively [6][7] - The shift towards QLC production for AI data centers has further squeezed traditional NAND capacity, exacerbating supply shortages [7] Industry Insights - The demand for NAND storage is surging due to the rapid development of AI technologies, with AI servers requiring three times the NAND of traditional servers, leading to a spike in large-capacity SSD demand [7] - Companies are engaging in "panic buying" to secure NAND allocations, resulting in many suppliers' quotas for next year being fully booked [7] - The storage industry is predicted to enter a "super cycle," with the global market potentially reaching $300 billion by 2027 [7]