Introduction to the AI Bust
The AI boom of the 2020s has been a significant phenomenon, with many companies and investors pouring money into artificial intelligence technologies. However, like any other economic boom, this one is also expected to bust. The question on everyone’s mind is, what will this bust be called? Below are some of the leading candidates for the name of the AI bust.
Primary Contenders
The primary contenders for the name of the AI bust are:
- The Great AI Pop: This is the most likely winner. It is short, simple, and clearly mirrors historical naming conventions, such as The Great Recession. It works across all media formats and accommodates both gentle and severe corrections.
- The First AI Bust: This name acknowledges that AI is not going away. It implies this is only the first cycle in a long century of AI evolution. Economists and historians may prefer this term.
- The AI Money Glitch: This name hits the exact emotional tone of a financial system behaving like a buggy game. It fits a world where demand was mispriced, capex was overbuilt, and ROI never matched the slide decks.
Names Tied to Hardware and Infrastructure
Some names are tied to the hardware and infrastructure of AI, including:
- GPUgeddon: This name takes over if the story becomes one of GPU oversupply, depreciation shocks, or cheaper competitors undercutting the hardware economics. It is a media-friendly name with instant meme value.
- AIgeddon: A more dramatic, all-encompassing label if the crash ripples beyond tech into the wider economy.
- The AI Avalanche: This is the name if the collapse happens fast. It implies a chain reaction. It fits a scenario like the one triggered by Pichai’s warning where indexes across continents fall within hours of each other. If speed becomes the defining characteristic, this name wins.
Names Tied to Products, Hype, and Failed Promises
Some names are tied to the products, hype, and failed promises of AI, including:
- The Great Wrapper Extinction: This name becomes dominant if hundreds of thin GPT-based tool companies vanish overnight. It frames the crash as a cleanup of shallow products.
- The First Agent Mass Extinction: This name applies if enterprise agent deployments prove unreliable, unsafe, or unscalable. If companies shut down their agent teams, this name will be everywhere.
Names Tied to Broader Historical Memory
Finally, some names are tied to broader historical memory, including:
- The 2nd AI Winter: This term becomes the headline if the downturn triggers a repeat of an earlier era. It stings precisely because this time, people believed AI was finally unstoppable.
Conclusion
The name of the AI bust will depend on the characteristics of the bust itself. Will it be a slow and gentle correction, or a fast and dramatic crash? Will it be tied to the hardware and infrastructure of AI, or to the products and hype surrounding it? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the name of the AI bust will be remembered for years to come.
FAQs
- Q: What is the AI bust?
A: The AI bust refers to the expected collapse of the AI boom of the 2020s. - Q: What are some possible names for the AI bust?
A: Some possible names include The Great AI Pop, The First AI Bust, The AI Money Glitch, GPUgeddon, AIgeddon, The AI Avalanche, The Great Wrapper Extinction, The First Agent Mass Extinction, and The 2nd AI Winter. - Q: What will determine the name of the AI bust?
A: The name of the AI bust will depend on the characteristics of the bust itself, including its speed, severity, and impact on the tech industry and the wider economy.
