Memory, power & 5G AI semis to see growth

The 5G AI, memory, and power amplifier (PA) semiconductor market is rapidly transitioning from a nascent stage to a growth stage, according to recent analysis provided by research group Frost & Sullivan.

It is strongly driven by exponentially increasing data traffic, technological advancements leading to hardware performance and capability improvements, and the emergence of new use cases, the report says. Registering an unprecedented growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 74.3%, the market for 5G AI, memory, and PA semiconductors is estimated to garner revenue of $15.03 billion by 2025 from $536.9 million in 2019.

Source: Frost & Sullivan

“5G is in the early commercialization stage, and a majority of the deployments in the coming years are expected to be in the sub-6 GHz range. Hence, short-term opportunities will be limited to traditional devices, such as smartphones, communication infrastructure, and laptops,” said Prabhu Karunakaran, Test & Measurement analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “Further, the AI processor market for 5G applications is rapidly growing, specifically in edge devices. They are expected to play a significant role in various devices, including edge servers and autonomous cars.”

Karunakaran added, “Memory integrated circuits (ICs) supporting 5G end-user markets will be the highest contributors. Power amplifier IC is estimated to have generated larger revenue due to multiple 5G deployments, with revenue from the infrastructure segment. Additionally, AI is in the infancy stage and is expected to grow significantly in the next five years.”

To tap into opportunities created by memory, PA, and AI semiconductors in 5G, Frost & Sullivan has identified key prospects in the:

• Manufacturing Sector: To mitigate the issues of surging operational costs in the manufacturing sector, semiconductor companies must work with network equipment manufacturers and robotics system manufacturers to integrate cost-effective memory, PA, and AI chips and capitalize on the opportunity.
• Healthcare Sector: The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a sudden rise in the adoption of robotics in the healthcare sector. AI and PA market participants should look into optimizing the existing products to leverage this unprecedented opportunity.
• Automotive Sector: Autonomous vehicles need an ultra-fast, reliable network that processes huge volumes of data. Hence, 5G AI, PA, and memory device manufacturers should develop automotive-grade devices that function reliably.
• Retail Sector: AI, memory, and PA semiconductor market participants should increasingly focus on developing solutions for 5G edge servers that will require processing large data volumes.
• Agriculture Sector: Digitization is transforming the agriculture sector rapidly. Market players must work with system and device manufacturers to develop cost-effective, application-specific integrated circuits to enhance farm productivity.