Comment by somenameforme

A big difference is that in the past things like the potential of the PC were somewhat widely underestimated. And then the internet was again as well.

But in modern times it's rather the opposite scenario. The average entity is diving head first into AI simply expecting a revolutionary jump in capability that a more 'informed', for lack of any less snooty term, perspective would suggest is quite unlikely to occur anytime in the foreseeable future. Basically we have a modern day gold rush where companies and taking out unbelievably massive loans to invest in shovels.

The only way this doesn't catastrophically blow up is if AI companies manage to convince the government they're too big to fail, and get the Boeing, Banks, et al treatment. And I expect that's exactly the current strategy, but that's rather a high risk, low reward, type strategy.

>things like the potential of the PC were somewhat widely underestimated.

The potential of the AI that comes within reach at maximum expenditure levels may just be more widely overestimated.

The potential to make "that much money" even more challenging.

A very opposite scenario.

I think so many corporations are looking at how expensive actual humans always have been, and can be sure will always be, so much so that it's a major cost item that can not be ignored. AI opens up the possibility of a whole new level of automation or outright replacement for the routine simple-minded tasks, to a degree that never existed before. More jobs could possibly be eliminated than previous waves of mechanical and digital automation.

When you do the business math, the savings could be enormous.

But you can only realistically save as much as you are actually wasting, otherwise if you go too far you shoot yourself in the foot.

Even with all that money to work with, if you're in practice hunkering down for savings because you can't afford real people any more, you surely can't say the sky's the limit. Not like selling PC's or anything that's capable of more unbridled growth.

When PC's arrived they flew off the shelf even at their high initial retail prices.

People in droves (but not the silent majority) are shunning free AI and the movement is growing with backlash in proportion to the foisting.