Seagate Predicts 300TB Drives by 2030 to Feed AI’s Insatiable Hunger

AI’s Data Appetite Redefines Storage Frontiers

The artificial intelligence boom is reshaping data infrastructure, and Seagate is positioning itself at the center of that transformation. The data storage giant told CNBC it expects hard drive capacities to triple by 2030, fueled by skyrocketing demand from AI-enabled applications that analyze and store massive amounts of unstructured data. A single generative AI query, for example, can require processing up to 100 times more data than a search engine query. As the data footprint of hyperscale cloud providers explodes, Seagate believes its upcoming ultra-high-capacity drives will become a necessity—not a luxury.

The Heat is On: HAMR Tech Takes the Lead

Seagate’s bet is on heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), a breakthrough technology that uses lasers to heat disk platters, enabling a dramatic increase in storage density. The company plans to roll out 30-plus terabyte HAMR drives by mid-2024 and scale to 40TB shortly thereafter. From there, Seagate says it’s on track to deliver 50TB drives by 2025 and 100TB before the decade ends. By 2030, drives could surpass 300TB. With cloud clients like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft already paying close attention, these developments underscore how next-gen storage is becoming a foundational pillar of the AI era.