Apple and Microsoft have placed the blame for rising consumer electronics prices squarely on artificial intelligence, announcing significant price increases across their product lines. The move, which affects devices like the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Xbox, signals a new front in the public's growing backlash against the technology.
Apple raised prices across its Mac, iPad, and Home lineup by an average of $246.67 per device, according to MacRumors. The iPad Pro's starting price jumped $200 to $1,999, while the MacBook Pro saw a $300 increase from $1,699. Microsoft similarly blamed AI-driven demand for memory and storage shortages for its own price hikes on consumer electronics.
The announcements come as public sentiment toward AI sours, with consumers worried about job displacement, environmental harm, and safety risks. These price increases may deepen that resentment, turning abstract concerns into tangible financial pain at checkout counters worldwide.
Analysts note that the shortages reflect AI's insatiable appetite for high-bandwidth memory and advanced storage, components essential for both data center servers and consumer devices. As AI infrastructure spending surges, manufacturers face supply constraints that ripple through the entire electronics supply chain.
Neither company provided details on how long the price increases will last, leaving consumers to wonder whether this is a temporary spike or a permanent shift in device pricing tied to the AI boom.