Look, I’m gonna say it
AI is overhyped. There. I said it. And I’m not just talking about the usual suspects—self-driving cars that can’t handle a rainy day or chatbots that sound like they’re high on their own supply. I’m talking about the whole enchilada. The AI revolution is like that kid in high school who shows up to prom in a tuxedo but forgets to wear pants. Sure, it looks fancy, but you can’t help but stare at the glaring omission.
I’ve been in this industry for over 20 years. I’ve seen the rise and fall of countless tech trends. But this? This is something else. It’s like we’re all on this runaway train, waving flags and shouting ‘Innovation! Disruption!’ while the train is clearly missing some critical components. Like, you know, common sense.
Let me take you back to a conference in Austin, about three months ago. I was sitting in a panel discussion with a guy named Marcus—let’s call him that, because his real name is irrelevant. Marcus was spouting off about how AI is gonna cure cancer, solve world hunger, and probably make us all immortal. I raised my hand and asked, ‘Marcus, have you ever actually used one of these systems in a real-world scenario?’ He looked at me like I’d just asked if he believed in fairies. ‘Well, no,’ he admitted, ‘but the potential is there!’
Potential. There’s that word again. It’s the tech industry’s favorite crutch. ‘Oh, it’s not working now, but just you wait! The potential is limitless!’ Meanwhile, real people are out here trying to use this stuff, and it’s like herding cats. I had a colleague named Dave who spent 36 hours trying to get an AI-powered customer service bot to stop recommending a fitness workout routines beginners to a 90-year-old grandmother. ‘It’s just… yeah,’ Dave told me, rubbing his temples. ‘The algorithm doesn’t care that she can’t even lift a fork, let alone a dumbbell.’
And don’t even get me started on cybersecurity
Oh, you wanted me to get started? Fine. You asked for it. Cybersecurity in the age of AI is like trying to put out a fire with a garden hose while the fire department is on strike. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. I was at a dinner party last Tuesday—yes, I know, I lead a glamorous life—and someone mentioned how great it was that AI could now predict cyber threats before they happened. I nearly choked on my steak. ‘Predict?’ I spluttered. ‘You mean like how the weather app predicts rain, but then it’s sunny and you’re left carrying an umbrella like an idiot?’
The thing is, AI is only as good as the data it’s fed. And let’s be real here, the internet is a dumpster fire of misinformation, bias, and straight-up nonsense. So when you’re feeding your fancy new AI system a diet of garbage, what do you expect to come out the other end? A gourmet meal? Hardly. It’s like trying to teach a dog to sing opera. You can try, but at the end of the day, you’re still gonna get a bunch of barking.
I’m not saying AI is all bad. Far from it. There are some incredible applications out there. But we need to stop acting like it’s the second coming of Christ. It’s a tool. A very powerful tool, yes, but still just a tool. And like any tool, it’s only as good as the person wielding it.
So let’s pump the brakes on the hype train, shall we? Let’s take a step back and actually think about what we’re doing here. Because if we don’t, we’re gonna end up with a bunch of pants-less prom-goers, and nobody wants that.
A brief tangent: The time I tried to use AI to write my grocery list
Speaking of AI failures, let me tell you about the time I decided to use an AI-powered app to write my grocery list. I figured, hey, why not? It’s the future, right? So I input all my usual items—milk, eggs, bread, the usual suspects. And what did the AI suggest? Avocado toast, sushi, and a 12-ounce steak. I mean, I guess if I’m feeling fancy, but I was just trying to make spaghetti for crying out loud.
I tried to explain this to the app. ‘Look,’ I said, ‘I’m not trying to impress anyone here. I just need to feed myself.’ But the AI was relentless. It kept suggesting more and more elaborate dishes, each one more ridiculous than the last. By the end of it, I was ready to throw my phone out the window. And that, my friends, is the problem with AI in a nutshell. It’s like trying to have a conversation with a particularly stubborn parrot. It just keeps squawking the same nonsense over and over again.
Back to the main point, I guess
So where do we go from here? Well, for starters, we need to stop treating AI like it’s the answer to every problem. It’s not. It’s a tool, and like any tool, it has its limits. We need to be realistic about what it can and can’t do. And we need to start holding these companies accountable when their AI systems fail miserably.
I’m not saying we should abandon AI altogether. That would be like saying we should stop using fire because sometimes it burns things. But we need to be smarter about how we use it. We need to think critically about the data we’re feeding it. And we need to have a plan B when it inevitably fails.
So let’s cool it with the hype, shall we? Let’s take a deep breath and actually think about what we’re doing. Because if we don’t, we’re gonna end up with a bunch of pants-less prom-goers, and nobody wants that.
About the Author
Sarah Jenkins is a senior magazine editor with over 20 years of experience in the tech industry. She’s seen it all, from the rise of the internet to the fall of MySpace. When she’s not writing, she can be found yelling at her smart home devices or trying to teach her cat to use a computer. (The cat is winning.)
