Global semiconductor revenue surged to a record $793 billion in 2025, rising 21% year-on-year, driven by explosive demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips, according to preliminary estimates from Gartner.
AI-linked semiconductors including processors, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and networking components accounted for nearly one-third of total chip sales last year. Gartner said the momentum remains strong, with AI infrastructure spending projected to cross $1.3 trillion in 2026.
NVIDIA emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the AI boom, widening its revenue lead over Samsung Electronics by $53 billion in 2025. The US chipmaker became the first semiconductor company to surpass $100 billion in annual revenue and contributed over 35% of total industry growth during the year.
Samsung Electronics retained its position as the world’s second-largest chipmaker with $73 billion in semiconductor revenue. While its memory business grew 13% year-on-year, its non-memory segment declined 8%, reflecting uneven gains from the AI cycle.
SK Hynix climbed to the No. 3 spot, reporting $61 billion in revenue, a sharp 37% jump from 2024, largely powered by strong demand for HBM used in AI servers. In 2025, HBM made up 23% of the global DRAM market, generating over $30 billion in sales, while AI processors alone crossed $200 billion in revenue.
Gartner expects AI semiconductors to account for more than half of total global chip sales by 2029, underscoring a structural shift in the industry.
Demand strength was also reflected in monthly data. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said global chip sales hit a record $75.3 billion in November 2025, up nearly 30% year-on-year, putting the industry on track to approach $1 trillion in annual sales by 2026.
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