AI is about to increase prices because of Trump's tariffs too?

New US tariffs could impact the price of materials used to build data centers, making AI tools more expensive.

"Super chip" Nvidia GB200. Photo: Bloomberg .

According to analysts, the tariffs and reciprocal taxes announced by US President Donald Trump on April 2 could increase the cost of building AI infrastructure, leading to more expensive prices for using AI.

While companies like OpenAI and Anthropic build software models for services like ChatGPT or Claude, these platforms rely on cloud infrastructure from Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Oracle to handle the computing.

Companies have committed to investing nearly $1 trillion in infrastructure, according to the WSJ . But the cost of materials used to build data centers is changing.

While semiconductors are temporarily off the tariff list, changes in the price of other components could impact the cost of building data centers, said Matthew Mittelsteadt, a technology policy fellow at the Cato Institute, a Washington-based think tank.

“The future of AI is being taxed,” Mittelsteadt stressed.

Mr Trump's plan includes a 10% tariff on all imports, and higher reciprocal tariffs for some countries.

Tariffs could have a big impact on the cost of building a data center, Mittelsteadt said. Steel, for example, is not only needed to build the facility, but also needed for fire sprinkler systems. Another component that is largely manufactured outside the United States is transformers, which are essential for moving electricity from the grid to electronic equipment.

The cost impact may not be immediate, though. Rick Villars, vice president of global research at IDC , predicts that cloud service companies have already purchased materials. However, that may only last a few months.

Investors will be closely watching the cloud companies’ future capital spending plans. Microsoft previously announced plans to invest $80 billion in AI data centers by June. Amazon also plans to invest more than $100 billion , while Alphabet plans to spend $75 billion on data centers and capital expenditures this year.

Docklands Campus data center construction site in London (UK). Photo: Bloomberg .

Several major tech companies have also committed $500 million to Stargate, a joint venture to build data centers for OpenAI. The venture is led by OpenAI and SoftBank, while some of the equity partners include Oracle and MGX, an investor backed by the UAE.

A big question facing the changes is whether cloud companies will accept increased infrastructure investment costs. If that happens, will the increased costs be passed on to users?

Muddu Sudhakar, CEO of AI platform provider Aisera, said increased investment costs could lead to more expensive AI usage.

“They have to pass on that cost. Every cost needs to be scrutinized right now,” Sudhakar told the WSJ .

Meanwhile, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Anurag Rana said there are still many factors affecting data center construction costs, including the possibility of falling material prices due to demand disruptions.

“There are still many unclear factors in building a specific financial model. This is a very new field for all of us,” Rana added.

Source: https://znews.vn/ai-se-dat-hon-vi-thue-quan-post1543490.html