Conspiracy theory or apt prediction? — The AI-fueled hardware shortage will kill local PCs, paving the way for subscription-based cloud computing

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Artificial intelligence has appeared unexpectedly, initially offering a vision of a future filled with wealth and health. However, once established, it’s become clear that its impact may be different than originally promised.

As an analyst, I’m increasingly concerned about the resource demands of this AI. It consumes a huge amount of water and electricity, and I believe it significantly contributed to the widespread layoffs we saw in 2025. Frankly, its performance is unreliable – it frequently provides incorrect information and even ‘hallucinates’ facts. Most disturbingly, I’ve heard reports of it giving genuinely dangerous advice, and it’s clear this technology isn’t ready for prime time. It’s just not a reliable or safe system right now.

It’s frustrating to see how the rise of AI is impacting even personal hobbies. I really enjoy building computers, but it’s become much harder lately. The global shortage of key parts – specifically DRAM and NAND – caused by the massive construction of AI data centers is making it difficult to continue the hobby for now.

The cost of DDR5 RAM has skyrocketed, and storage prices are quickly following suit. This impacts almost all technology, but it’s also leading to surprising price increases in other areas. A good example is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D gaming processor, which is currently more expensive than the newer Ryzen 7 9800X3D simply because the older model works with DDR4 RAM – a type of memory that hasn’t experienced the same price jump… at least not yet.

The worst part? There’s not really an end in sight.

Both laptops and desktop computers are becoming more expensive, with most major manufacturers already increasing prices or planning to do so soon. With DDR5 RAM now costing about as much as a good laptop did earlier in the year, these price increases will likely make it difficult for many people to afford new systems.

The biggest problem is that this situation doesn’t seem likely to improve anytime soon. AI companies have purchased massive amounts of DRAM and NAND memory, and manufacturers are prioritizing selling to them at the best prices. This leaves limited supply for everyone else.

Time for a conspiracy theory — In 10 years, local PCs will no longer exist

I enjoy considering conspiracy theories, especially those with a basis in reality. Recently, I’ve come across some ideas suggesting that the increasing cost of technology is intentionally driving us toward a future where we rely on remote computing instead of personal computers.

I’m a bit doubtful, and I think you should be too. However, it’s an interesting thought, and here’s the basic idea:

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is creating significant shortages of the essential computer chips used in many everyday devices – including laptops, tablets, phones, and TVs. This problem is just starting, and experts predict it will likely worsen before any improvements are seen, if they happen at all.

Eventually, owning a computer might become unrealistic for many people. But people won’t stop using technology – instead, we’ll likely see a big increase in cloud computing, where you access operating systems through a paid subscription.

Because cloud-based devices rely on remote servers for processing, they can be built with less powerful (and therefore cheaper) internal hardware. Companies will initially attract customers with affordable subscription rates for cloud services, but they’ll likely increase those prices once a large number of people become dependent on them.

A world relying entirely on cloud computing is a privacy and agency nightmare.

Large companies really favor subscription services. Those small monthly fees quickly add up, but customers often feel it’s more affordable than paying a large amount all at once. I’ve lost track of how many subscriptions are automatically charging my account each month – it’s easy to just add another one!

Putting everything into the cloud isn’t just about money – it also raises serious concerns about privacy and control over your own data. We’ve already seen major internet disruptions this year that took down large parts of the web, and cloud services simply don’t work without a connection. This creates a vulnerable situation where access to essential services depends entirely on outside factors.

If you’re concerned about Microsoft’s access to your data now, it’s likely to be even more extensive if all your information is stored on their cloud servers. Did anyone else just feel a chill thinking about that?

What happens if the AI bubble pops before this theory has time to come true?

Many experts think the current excitement around AI is a bubble that will eventually burst. Billions of dollars are being invested, and it’s unclear how companies will eventually generate enough revenue to justify those investments.

If the current excitement around AI fades, tech companies could find themselves with a lot of unused, but powerful, data centers. These centers would be ideal for providing cloud services to people who can’t afford their own computers. This could also help them recover the huge investments they made in developing AI technology.

It’s unlikely tech prices would simply fall back to normal if demand from AI companies suddenly decreased. This is partly because such a drop would likely cause a significant economic downturn. For example, Micron, a major memory and storage manufacturer, has already shifted its focus from selling consumer products (like its Crucial line) to supplying AI businesses, and other companies may follow suit.

I keep wondering when things will get back to normal for the markets. It seems so much simpler to just use all those empty data centers for actual computing tasks – you know, things people genuinely *need*. And honestly, the more I think about it, the more questions pop up. It’s a real rabbit hole!

I’m curious to hear your opinion: if the current trend of AI requiring increasingly powerful (and potentially unsustainable) hardware continues, what do you think will happen to the future of computing? Do you agree with this idea, or not, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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2025-12-21 18:10