LINUX Unplugged 649: Burned by AI
44 snips
Jan 12, 2026 Michael Tunnell from Tux Digital joins to tackle the looming storage crisis as prices skyrocket. They discuss how SSD and HDD costs are impacting consumers and examine personal digital hoarding habits in response to this trend. Backup strategies come under scrutiny, especially regarding offsite nuances and the risk of used drives. The conversation shifts to alternative storage solutions like optical media, with a nostalgic look back at the durability of classic formats, and introduces Blue Vault, a tool for managing Blu-ray archives.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
AI Demand Is Driving A Multi-Year Storage Crunch
- Storage prices spiked because AI data centers and enterprise buyers are hoarding inventory and striking exclusivity deals.
- Analysts expect the crunch to last into 2027, creating sustained consumer shortages and higher costs.
Prune Before You Purchase More Storage
- Prune digital hoarding: delete unused media and duplicates to free immediate space.
- Prioritize keeping only irreplaceable files and export important archives before buying new drives.
Used Enterprise Drives Could Create Price Spikes
- Used enterprise hardware may flood secondary markets unpredictably if AI firms fail or refresh.
- That could temporarily soften prices, but quality and warranty concerns remain.