BlockBeats report: On June 14, AI is driving up U.S. inflation. In May, the consumer price index for computer software and accessories rose 14.5% year-over-year, marking the largest annual increase since records began in 2000. The producer price index for electronic components surged 27% year-over-year, also a historical high. By contrast, before 2026, prices for software and electronic components had been declining almost every year.
Meanwhile, memory prices alone have more than doubled over the past year, with DDR5 and DDR4 memory prices rising 290% year-over-year due to AI data centers absorbing the vast majority of global chip supply. The surge in memory prices could keep inflation elevated throughout 2027, further compounding existing pressures from the Iran conflict. The AI boom is igniting technological inflation.