New Delhi, April 25 -- Across global tech markets, Apple's $599 M4 Mac mini has become an unexpected symbol of a deeper shift underway in computing, where artificial intelligence demand is reshaping not only software priorities but also the availability of physical hardware. What was once positioned as Apple's most accessible desktop machine is now increasingly difficult to find, with shortages rippling through retail channels and resale platforms alike.

At the center of this disruption is a convergence of factors that industry analysts say is unprecedented in recent years. The surge in demand for local AI computing, combined with the tightening supply of memory components, has pushed the Mac mini into a category of scarcity usually rese...