Artificial intelligence is making some everyday technology more expensive—and the costs may not stop at your next laptop or phone.
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Memory chips used in AI data centers are in such high demand that prices for consumer electronics are climbing. The MacBook Air, which sold for $1,099 two years ago, now starts at $1,299. The MacBook Pro jumped from $1,699 to $1,999. Even gaming consoles like the Xbox have seen price increases of up to $150.
How AI infrastructure is reshaping costs
Behind these price hikes is a massive infrastructure buildout. Tech giants are expected to spend around $720 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026, increasing demand for chips, servers, electricity, and specialized hardware. That spending is rippling into the broader economy.
In some parts of the U.S., electricity bills are rising as utilities expand the grid to meet AI-driven power demands. At first glance, these increases might seem unrelated. But they share a common thread: the infrastructure needed to train and run AI models requires unprecedented computing power, and someone has to pay for it.
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Economists describe this as the “productivity J-curve.” Major technologies often become more expensive before they become cheaper, as businesses first invest heavily in infrastructure before productivity gains emerge. The internet followed this pattern. AI appears to be doing the same—just on a much larger scale.
Will AI keep pushing prices higher?
The question now is how long this phase will last. Historically, the J-curve effect has taken years to play out. With AI, the scale of investment is unprecedented. The five largest U.S. hyperscalers are projected to spend around $720 billion in capital expenditure during 2026 alone. That money has to come from somewhere—and some of it is coming from consumers.
But the long-term promise of AI is efficiency. If the technology delivers on its potential, it could eventually lower costs in other areas. For now, though, the immediate impact is clear: building the infrastructure for AI is expensive, and those costs are showing up in unexpected places.
Whether that means higher electricity bills, pricier gadgets, or both, the shift is already underway. The bigger question is how much more consumers will feel it before the curve bends the other way.