If you've been in the market recently for RAM, you've probably noticed a major spike in prices as memory manufacturers pivot more of their production capacity away from consumer products to supplying AI companies instead.

Edmonton

The increasing demand for RAM by AI data centers is leading major manufacturers to shift production away from consumer products, resulting in significant price increases and shortages for everyday buyers. Retailers report that RAM prices have doubled or even tripled in recent months, with supply becoming scarce.

Industry experts note that personal computers are being affected first, but the rising costs are expected to impact a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart appliances. Additional hardware such as hard drives and video cards are also seeing price increases, indicating broader market effects.

Why AI demand for RAM could make your next computer more expensive

Does your computer need more RAM? You know, it's those memory chips that keep your PC running smoothly. Well, if you're shopping around, then you're noticing that prices are skyrocketing. Here's why. Major manufacturers are pivoting production away from making consumer products to supplying AI data centers. Some stores are reporting double or even triple the prices they saw just a few months ago. That's if they can even find them. Supply is dried out right across the board. Dustin Plant is the corporate sales manager at an Edmonton computer store. He's seen some RAM products go up in price by more than double. Prices are basically increasing every week, if not sooner, quicker than that. In another blow to the market, a major RAM producer recently announced it's pulling its consumer brand completely to focus only on AI clientele. One academic says personal computers will be hit first and hardest. They're saying for our manufacturing capacity, rather than sell into the consumer PC space, we're going to sell it into the data center space where they can make a lot more money. She says these market conditions could have long-term knock-on effects. Everything that uses memory, the prices are going to go up. That includes cell phones, tablets, even smart fridges. In the short term, Plant says he's also already seeing the price of hard drives creeping higher and he thinks video cards will be next. Rukhsar Ali, CBC News, Calgary.

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Breakdown