But really, blaming AI (software) for this is a similar situation to "old man yells at cloud".

The software didn't want more RAM. AI companies did. Not to mention that RAM companies may have purposely raised prices and blamed it on AI, I've heard about a class-action lawsuit against the big three RAM companies for coordinating a price increase.

If you don't want to use AI at work, you should really file a complaint. Again, the software didn't do anything, someone else did something to force it on you.

I'm not saying this as something to anger people, but because hating AI has no effect on whether you make AI optional at work or stop big tech companies and RAM manufacturers from price increases. Software has no mind or consciousness, it has no sense of being evil and purposely doing these things. People do, and people do it on purpose. People made AI, after all. It didn't spawn into existence.

The root cause of not being able to afford PCs might just be RAM companies themselves, along with some real demand from AI companies.