New Delhi

The surge in artificial intelligence demand is putting unprecedented pressure on memory components like RAM and SSDs, causing prices to soar in recent months.

Reports indicate that costs have doubled or even tripled for some chips, and now the effects are starting to ripple through the wider consumer electronics market, including smartphones and PCs.

Major memory manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which together control over 70% of global supply have confirmed that their production capacity for the year is fully booked. IDC warns that this shortage could persist until at least 2027, as AI data centres continue to consume vast amounts of memory, outpacing supply.

For consumers, this trend signals what some analysts call “the end of an era of cheap, abundant memory and storage,” at least in the medium term. According to a recent Financial Times report, leading electronics brands like Dell, Lenovo, Raspberry Pi, and Xiaomi are already projecting that the shortage could drive prices up between 5% and 20% for devices.

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As AI adoption accelerates, gadget enthusiasts may need to prepare for higher costs across PCs, laptops, and smartphones in the near future.