For all the hype in 2023, we still don’t know what AI’s long-term impact will be
Written by John Naughton on Sat 30 Dec 2023
A discovery of AI and speculation have led to a new bubble resembling dotcom and other past bubbles.
Innovations that transform the economy have historically been marked by “massive investments” and high risk.
AI is being used for a wide range of applications, but its lasting legacy remains to be seen.
The technology provides a significant augmentation of human capability, but also raises concerns about sustainability and economic viability.
There is an assumption that widespread deployment and returns on the cost of running AI machines will follow, but this might not be realistic.
Most companies lack the necessary infrastructure to safely deploy generative AI at scale.
AI’s long-term impact may be just as profound as the impact of the printing press.
The key areas to watch in determining AI’s lasting legacy are the augmentation of human capability, sustainability of resources, and economic viability.