Apple is hiking prices and blaming AI

Tim Cook says Apple's prices have been unsustainable for too long. The company is raising them across the line. The 16-inch MacBook Pro climbs $300. The 11-inch iPad Air jumps from $599 to $749. Even the HomePod Mini gets a $30 bump to $129.

Cook put the blame squarely on the AI boom. Big Tech is gobbling up chips and memory to power models, and the cost is flowing into consumer devices. RAMageddon has already hit desktops and consoles. Xbox prices are up nearly 25% depending on the model. Nothing canceled an entire phone launch. Apple is just the latest to jack up prices and point at AI.

Cook's framing is honest enough — AI is expensive. But it's also worth asking who benefits from this shift. The companies building the models are making billions. The hardware makers are passing the bill to us. If you're paying for a new laptop or tablet, you're now paying for the AI tax.

Why this matters for us: When Big Tech decides AI is the future, it's the working families who pick up the tab.