The Ramifications of AI: Sony Suspends Orders of Memory Cards Due to Shortages

Sony Pauses Memory Cards

According to an announcement on Sony’s Japanese website, the company has posted a “notice and apology regarding the temporary suspension of orders for digital imaging products,” which outlines why the company will not be able to meet demand for CFexpress and SD memory cards for the "foreseeable future.”

Here’s the full statement from Sony:

Due to the global shortage of semiconductors (memory) and other factors, it is anticipated that supply will not be able to meet demand for CFexpress memory cards and SD memory cards for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we have decided to temporarily suspend the acceptance of orders from our authorized dealers and from customers at the Sony Store from March 27, 2026 onwards.

Regarding the resumption of order acceptance, we will consider it while monitoring the supply situation and will announce it separately on the product information page.

And here's the list of products affected:

• CFexpress Type A memory cards:
  "CEA-G1920T", "CEA-G960T", "CEA-G480T", "CEA-G240T"
• CFexpress Type B memory cards
  "CEB-G480T" and "CEB-G240T"
• SDXC/SDHC memory cards:
  "SF-G256T", "SF-G128T", "SF-G64T", "SF-M512T", "SF-M256T", "SF-M128T",
  "SF-E256", "SF-E128A", "SF-E64A"

The notice outlines the main reason in the first sentence as the company cites “the global shortage of semiconductors (memory)” as the top culprit. The notice doesn’t elaborate on what is causing this global shortage, but we all know what it is.

The Side Effects of AI Begin

As the AI revolution has heated up over the past few years, semiconductors have become more in demand than ever before, but that demand is not significantly higher than supply or the ability to produce more.

Shortages and pauses of other semiconductor-powered products were always going to be the next step, so this really isn’t huge or shocking news that it would happen. But it can be devastating for those working in industries that depend on these new products for their professional projects and careers.

As for what’s next, Sony is calling this a “temporary suspension” and promises to continue "monitoring the supply situation,” until it can share more info on if and when more memory cards can be developed.

However, despite some setbacks for AI models like Sora's shutdown by OpenAI, for the most part, AI does not appear to be letting up anytime soon, so these shortages might cause more pauses in the future, not less.