Are we in an AI hype bubble?

Question

Great way to know if you are in a hype bubble... Compare it to the 2021 crypto hype peak on Google trends! We're suspiciously close to the same level of hype and attention according to that view. (if only I could post screenshots)

That said, the floodgates of real-world applications for AI have opened vs. the "hammer desperately seeking a nail" we've seen so far with web3. It's been awesome seeing what people have built with AI over the past month and the tech is definitely here to stay.

Lots of cool stuff ahead.

Sofia · Accepted Answer

Yeah, we definitely are 🫡

But it feels like we’re getting much more from AI than we ever got from crypto. Let’s see what comes next!

Krishna Kumar · Answer

Of course we are. Just look at the price of .AI domains :)

Ben Katz · Answer

@maxwellcdavis 100%! also, good luck on your upcoming launch!

Ben Katz · Answer

@rianbrob Agree they are very different. My thought is that attention comes in intense, fleeting bursts and that regardless of how many applications there are (or aren't)the hype will fade. It will likely come in waves

Maxwell Davis · Answer

Yes I think so - but it's exciting!

Rian Robertson · Answer

I'd surmise they are quite different since crypto and web3 was extremely esoteric...(i.e. very hard to describe and to sell the merits to a layperson). Compare that to ChatGPT which has made it incredibly easy for a layperson to try their hands at it, and therefore begin to at least grasp a sense of the merits of AI...so make of that what you will 🤷‍♂️

Carter Michael · Answer

Yes. I think (and hope) the hype starts to level. It seems like every piece of content I consume has AI this or AI that in the title.

That being said, I don't think the tools will go away, I just think some audiences will use them a lot more and others a lot less than they think.

Ben Katz · Answer

@kkumarkg LOL of course, the true measure of a bubble!

Ben Katz · Answer

@sonya_key_ I'm excited to see!

Krishna Kumar · Answer

@benjamin_katz2 you bet!

Ben Katz · Answer

@howewang totally agree

Ben Katz · Answer

@jonayed_tanjim Fair point

Jonayed Tanjim · Answer

Yes, we are. Plus people are also having misconceptions about innovation just building tools integrating OAI APIs. People build stuff on AWS, that doesn't mean they're innovating cloud.

Marcin Zietek · Answer

I visited Lisbon this year at the Web Summit, and had a chance to listen to Noam Chomsky reflecting on AI linguistic models and their use in actual reality. His main message was this: "God forbid humanity treats AI as a source of truth. If this happens, we're doomed, as the models are regenerative, statistical and don't actually understand anything they're talking about". It was a chilling message, especially given the context of a hyped up tech conference, where people are looking for the next big thing.

That said it seems that when used correctly, these models simplify a lot of burdensome interfacing and can be used in very creative ways. So yeah, we're probably in the hype cycle, but ultimately, I'm not sure how long it will last. Paradoxically, because AI's usefulness is immediately apparent, so having a "natural language interface for everything" will become the norm quickly, and not some holy grail never seen before thing around which a long hype cycle is possible.

Are we in an AI hype bubble?

Replies