The North Park Student Newspaper Since 2023
How AI has increased the price of RAM
OPINION/EDITORIALS
Nilujan Kumarathas & Tobi Shen
6/11/20262 min read
RAM has skyrocketed in price, costing hundreds or thousands of dollars when it used to cost only $100 to $200. The RAM issue has affected not only North America but also the entire world, including many different markets, such as gaming and any other business that uses AI, like Microsoft and OpenAI.
The RAM crisis started in late 2025 and continues to the present day. The RAM price did not rise slowly; instead, it had a big boom, suddenly rising in price. The reason it happened is because of the increase of AI. AI uses RAM to respond more quickly and accurately, and because the use of AI has increased, many other companies that weren’t normally involved in its use have started to use AI. Take Microsoft, for example. This has affected everyone from business owners to everyday citizens and companies. This happened because AI is costly to produce, and since the RAM production has remained the same while the demand has increased, there is only a certain amount of RAM available.
Why does the RAM crisis matter? RAM is very important in this modern era since it is your device’s short-term memory, providing temporary storage and enabling quick data retrieval. It affects your device’s processing and how well your device can multitask. This includes how many applications can be opened without slowing down your system. RAM also allows devices to better process videos, stopping lagging or freezing.
So, what are the consequences of this shortage? Many video games, controllers, and devices have become more costly to make, and that means it is more expensive for consumers to buy. This has affected companies like Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo, and it has been more expensive for individuals to build their own PC for personal use. It has also led to many companies investing in AI, but many people continue to disagree with its use. It is no longer a safe investment, but companies don't want to waste an investment, so they double down. This skyrocketing RAM has also affected other companies that don’t invest in AI, like Samsung, which couldn’t get RAM from them.
In conclusion, RAM has skyrocketed in price worldwide, causing companies to buy AI, making it harder for people to buy. This is due to the increase in AI affecting a lot of well-known companies. So what about the future? Based on current trends, the RAM prices seem to be on the rise, and when it eventually stops increasing, it will probably be a while before RAM prices return to normal. Additionally, it isn’t too unbelievable to assume that other computer prices will increase, too.