Op Ed: AI and the artificial unrealism around it

The main selling point for AI is not what it actually does, but what it might do sometime in the future. The never ending headlines read more like an astrology session than a hardnosed evaluation. This isn’t science. It’s not even real tech news. It’s a sales pitch based on unrealism. Some might not be surprised that unrealism is such a good selling point.

After years of “alternative facts” and “post truth” babble, it’s a natural progression. …And it’s selling in the billions when it comes to AI. Those billions are behaving in classic teenage FOMO mode, wanting in when they don’t seem to know what they’re getting into. It’s even worse than a new iPhone.

At least you can take a fair guess at what an iPhone actually does. This is the state of AI in what is rather inaccurately called the real world: Now, let’s say you’re an investor or businessperson or some other masochist: At the basic business level, AI is a big noise at the moment. This unrealism is dangerous.

A lot of people have found out the hard way that tech booms were illusory. Even personal computers didn’t take off for years until they had a business environment to support them. E commerce didn’t happen at all until it was trusted by the markets. Sure, there are and will be good investment opportunities and there’s big money to be made.

AI will become a useful part of life despite the hype. Just not like this. Artificial Innuendo shouldn’t be selling to anyone. Editor at Large based in Sydney, Australia..