The artificial scarcity applies to copies of an individual piece of software, rather than the scarcity of different pieces of software.

Once you build it, almost the only way to achieve scarcity is through IP law.

You tacitly assume that I am not aware that software products have an R&D cost, and you are (insultingly) wrong. Of course they do. And without artificial scarcity that R&D cost will not be recouped. The default state of software is an open source model, where the "developing, building, and deployment" doesn't cost money because there isn't any.

Copy and distribution costs for movies in a digital age are non existant. Are movies using artificial scarcity?

That movies are almost impossible to buy DRM-free should give you a hint ?

Yes.