AI hardware demand lifts electronics gold use to 69.3 tonnes in Q1 2026, but wider tech demand rises just 1% to 81.6 tonnes

Gold demand across the technology sector rose 1% year over year to 81.6 tonnes in Q1 2026, as higher use in AI servers and other high-reliability applications pushed electronics demand up 3% to 69.3 tonnes. That increase was largely offset as consumer electronics manufacturers reduced gold use through thinner or more selective plating and substitution, while dental demand continued to shrink. Taiwan, South Korea, mainland China and the United States posted 5–9% increases linked to AI-related production, while Japan and Europe fell 1–3% amid greater exposure to consumer electronics, according to the World Gold Council.