AI Driving Up The Cost Of Tech
I don’t know if you’ve tried to buy computer memory lately, but the price has skyrocketed. DDR5 memory I bought last year in January for $37 is now selling for close to $300! This affects the price of every type of electronics that uses memory. TVs, PCs, Gaming Consoles, Phones, Servers…etc all use high-speed memory and are affected by the increase in memory prices.
The cause of this inflation is the amount of high-speed memory needed to support AI. Chip makers have prioritized manufacturing of high-speed memory for AI systems which are consuming memory at an increadible pace.
As of March 2026, AI data centers are experiencing a massive, “unprecedented” surge in memory usage, projected to consume approximately 70% of all worldwide high-end memory production (DRAM and High-Bandwidth Memory – HBM) in 2026. This explosive demand in the last three months has led to a severe memory shortage in the US, with AI servers requiring 3x to 4x more DRAM than traditional servers. (EnkiAI)
This surge in memory prices is expected to continue thru 2028 and cause a disruption in the supply chain for many tech products going forward. Memory chip makers like Micron, Samsung and SK-Hynix are investing billions in new chip facilities but most won’t be running until 2028.
So, if there is any tech you’ve been thinking about buying, better to get it sooner than later…
– R. Lopez (Admitted Technophile)
