For decades, technology followed a simple bargain: Every new gadget gave you more for your money. More storage. More memory. More performance. But that deal is under pressure. As AI companies race to build data centers, they're consuming huge quantities of memory, causing a squeeze for consumer electronics like phones, laptops and gaming devices. The result is rising costs, manufacturers having to make difficult choices and consumers needing to rethink when, and whether, to upgrade.

DW spoke with experts about the hidden connection between AI and consumer electronics, the memory crunch driving up prices and why more people are holding onto their devices for longer.