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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Christopher Rugaber

Massive AI buildout poses latest inflation threat as consumers pay more for laptops and electricity

Apple Mac Price Hikes - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

American consumers — and the Federal Reserve — are being hit with another high-cost headache.

The gusher of investment in data centers — likely topping $700 billion this year — to power artificial intelligence has made memory chips, computer processors, and other equipment, as well as electricity more expensive, and economists expect it will continue to push up inflation at least through the end of this year.

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