AI triggers PCB shortage for PC makers as order books full until 2030, costs 12x

The AI boom is competing with consumer electronics for printed circuit boards and the materials needed to make them, creating shortages and higher costs across the PC supply chain. PC makers report difficulty securing enough boards even as they anticipate weaker shipments, because manufacturers are prioritizing lucrative AI-related orders. Some PCB delivery times have doubled, with certain orders taking as long as 30 months; new orders placed now may not arrive until late 2028. The squeeze also affects copper-clad laminates, a key PCB material: one Taiwanese PC maker says their costs have risen at least twelvefold since July.

Suppliers are expanding production, but capacity growth will take time and depends on securing materials and skilled workers. A leading laminate supplier’s orders are booked through 2030 despite plans to triple capacity by 2028. Chip-substrate makers, which produce the small, complex boards used to mount processors, are also signing major AI-related deals; Unimicron plans to increase capacity 2.5 times over three years. Meanwhile, hiring for new facilities is difficult, and PCB-industry salaries have risen 20% to 30%. The pressure exposes how a component once treated as an inexpensive, low-profile part of electronics manufacturing has become a critical bottleneck for both PCs and AI infrastructure.