The AI boom is fueling a massive infrastructure buildout that’s starting to strain critical material resources. This is evident in both computer hardware, with the data-analytics-id=”inline-link” href=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/idc-expects-average-pc-prices-to-jump-by-up-to-8-percent-in-2026-due-to-crushing-memory-shortages-some-vendors-already-selling-pre-builts-without-ram” data-mrf-recirculation=”inline-link” data-before-rewrite-localise=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/idc-expects-average-pc-prices-to-jump-by-up-to-8-percent-in-2026-due-to-crushing-memory-shortages-some-vendors-already-selling-pre-builts-without-ram”>memory shortage causing PC prices and other components to dramatically increase in such a short period, and the wider industry, with data-analytics-id=”inline-link” href=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-center-boom-sends-some-wholesale-electricity-prices-soaring-up-to-267-percent-in-five-years-says-report-as-global-rollout-of-ai-factories-continues-apace” data-mrf-recirculation=”inline-link” data-before-rewrite-localise=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-center-boom-sends-some-wholesale-electricity-prices-soaring-up-to-267-percent-in-five-years-says-report-as-global-rollout-of-ai-factories-continues-apace”>electricity prices surging by 267% in five years, and water-distressed communities wondering how the large amount of water that some data centers use…

The AI boom is fueling a massive infrastructure buildout that’s starting to strain critical material resources. This is evident in both computer hardware, with the data-analytics-id=”inline-link” href=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/idc-expects-average-pc-prices-to-jump-by-up-to-8-percent-in-2026-due-to-crushing-memory-shortages-some-vendors-already-selling-pre-builts-without-ram” data-mrf-recirculation=”inline-link” data-before-rewrite-localise=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/idc-expects-average-pc-prices-to-jump-by-up-to-8-percent-in-2026-due-to-crushing-memory-shortages-some-vendors-already-selling-pre-builts-without-ram”>memory shortage causing PC prices and other components to dramatically increase in such a short period, and the wider industry, with data-analytics-id=”inline-link” href=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-center-boom-sends-some-wholesale-electricity-prices-soaring-up-to-267-percent-in-five-years-says-report-as-global-rollout-of-ai-factories-continues-apace” data-mrf-recirculation=”inline-link” data-before-rewrite-localise=”https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-center-boom-sends-some-wholesale-electricity-prices-soaring-up-to-267-percent-in-five-years-says-report-as-global-rollout-of-ai-factories-continues-apace”>electricity prices surging by 267% in five years, and water-distressed communities wondering how the large amount of water that some data centers use…