The AI-led memory prices rises will hit TVs and audio tech too in 2026 (www.techradar.com)

The projected AI-driven memory shortage is poised to impact not just computers but also audiovisual (AV) technology in 2026, with significant price increases expected. As demand surges from AI data centers, particularly for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), manufacturers are diverting from producing consumer memory components. Companies like Micron have even shut down their consumer divisions to focus on more lucrative data center markets. This shift comes as memory prices have already skyrocketed—RAM prices could rise over 50% this quarter alone, while DRAM costs soared by 171% year-over-year. The implications for the AI/ML community are considerable, as this shortage is set to affect the entire consumer electronics landscape, especially low-margin products like TVs and smart speakers. With manufacturers likely to raise prices or limit specifications in response to this crunch, consumers may want to purchase devices sooner rather than later. As production capacity won't stabilize until 2027, the industry may face a prolonged period of inflated costs and potential supply constraints, echoing previous shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.