SEMI predicts that global shipments of silicon wafers will decline by 14% in 2023, followed by a recovery in 2024, as demand for wafers and semiconductors recovers and inventory levels return to normal.
The global shipments of silicon wafers are projected to decrease from a record high of 14.565 billion square inches in 2022 to approximately 12.51 billion square inches in 2023, SEMI said. Sustained weakness in semiconductor demand and difficult macroeconomic conditions are the primary factors propelling the decline in 2023, the industry association indicated.
As silicon demand surges to support artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), 5G, automotive, and industrial applications, momentum from the 2024 rebound is expected to last into 2026, with wafer shipments likely to achieve new highs, according to SEMI.
