Help Me Build a PC for Development, AI, and Light Gaming Within $2,450

Hey everyone! I'm looking for some guidance on building a PC within a budget of around $2,450. I'm flexible with the budget if there's a significant upgrade worth considering. My main priorities are: 1) Software development— I need to run multiple browser tabs and terminals simultaneously. 2) Local AI models— I'll be working with chat and code assistance models (like Llama and Mistral) and prefer not to do any image or video generation unless it's feasible within the budget. 3) Some occasional gaming is a plus; I don't need hardcore performance but decent graphics would be nice.

I already have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, so I'm only looking for the tower. Here are some of my preferences:
- I prioritize VRAM for my AI workloads; ideally, I'm looking for a GPU with 16GB of VRAM since it'd help run larger models efficiently.
- I'll be using Linux (Fedora), so compatibility is key.
- I'm open to either AMD or NVIDIA, based on what's best for my budget.
- I want a minimum of 32GB RAM to avoid bottlenecks.
- I don't have space constraints, so a mid-tower is fine.

For storage, I'm starting from scratch and need at least a 1TB NVMe drive as AI models can take up a lot of space. A second larger drive for storage would be great if it fits the budget.

I'm planning to game at 1080p or 1440p— whatever suits the budget.

I'd love your recommendations on:
- What GPU fits my VRAM and budget needs?
- Should I go with an AMD CPU or Intel?
- Where should I splurge versus save on parts?
- Is 1440p a realistic target for my budget?

I'm new to PC hardware, so thanks for your patience in answering any follow-up questions!