It's easy to forget that all the computing power we use every day relies on electricity, but amid a rise in energy consumption in many parts of the world, taking that for granted is no longer an option.

There's hope that soon artificial intelligence will help to find previously untapped efficiencies to make the most of electricity, but for the time being, we're in wait-and-see mode.

It's said that necessity is the mother of invention, and hopefully that will be the case as we all use and need more energy in the years ahead.

The big story

Bad memory

In brief | For the past few decades, we've become accustomed to prices for various consumer electronics dropping, but a surge in data centre construction and the seemingly insatiable desire to have those data centres running has caused a RAM (random access memory) shortage.

As a result of this dearth, prices for gaming consoles, smartphones, PCs and other items are expected to rise. Perhaps more frustrating is that the shortage might also delay much-anticipated new tech products.

Why it matters | Over the past few months, many have begun to take a more critical look at AI as it seeps into almost every aspect of life.

The narrative has shifted slightly from that of ample optimism to occasional worry. For all the ways AI enhances productivity and levels the playing field, if technology prices continue to increase, that worry about AI will ratchet up as well.

Quoted | “What began as an AI infrastructure boom has now rippled outward, with tightening memory supply, inflating prices and reshaping product and pricing strategies across both consumer and enterprise devices”

– International Data Corporation report

Future in focus

• Unnerving but safe | Behind the wheel of a self-driving Cybertruck on the streets of Dubai

• AI adoption | New report looks at countries leading the way

• Chip diplomacy | White House highlights UAE's G42 AI security framework

• Opinion | Social media bans for teenagers understandable but not future-proof

• Agile and evasive | Identifying cybercrime motives more vital than ever

Predicting the future: Signal or noise?

The US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, is demanding that Anthropic remove some of the guardrails from its AI tools used by the military. Anthropic is known in the technology industry for being more reticent, out of an abundance of caution, when it comes to taking a laissez-faire approach with AI, especially over how AI is used on the battlefield. Mr Hegseth, however, knowing full well that Anthropic has lucrative contracts with the US government, is trying to force the company's hand.

This is noise: Like many of the demands made by the Trump White House, this looks set to go to the courts, and most experts seem to believe the courts will side with Anthropic. If the US Department of Defence doesn't want to use Anthropic's tools, it doesn't have to, but most reasonable minds can probably agree that it shouldn't be forced to change its terms of service.

In case you missed it

• Samsung bets on argentic AI and upgraded privacy on Galaxy S26

• From doomscrolling to discipline: Why Ramadan is a perfect time for a digital detox

• Why the New Delhi Declaration will help the Global South fight AI colonialism

• Is AI euphoria starting to meet market reality?

• Collective defence crucial to tackling 'weaponised AI', says Microsoft's Brad Smith

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