The AI glitter
AI has become a magical branding glitter to be sprinkled on anything from a toothbrush to a corporate strategy.
Most sensible observers would agree that AI hype has reached crazy levels.
Unfortunately, many people are just getting exhausted by the whole thing, which means they are likely missing out on a genuine benefit.
Many organisations are desperate for any kind of AI good news story. This is often achieved with a light dusting of this glitter, just so the board or customers think we are ‘doing AI’
I’m not a naysayer
Whilst I’m a firm believer in the transformative nature of AI, the inevitable outcome of a superficial glitter approach is failure and disappointment.
In my role, I have to balance perceptions of being a naysayer versus saying what I really think. This means that I’m often declaring a particular “AI thing” isn’t really AI, or even if it is, it’s still a waste of time. The questions I always ask are:
- how does it make money ?
- will customers buy it ?
- will people use it not just today, but tomorrow and next week ?
- is it better than the thing it replaces ?
AI Hype Exhaustion Syndrome
These things go in cycles- for example a few years ago several of my clients were asking for some blockchain glitter- they’d seen something about blockchain enabled digital twins. Although I think AI is fundamentally different, the patterns are similar.
Generating enthusiasm and interest is an important part of any change, but there needs to be substance beneath the glittery dust. Ultimately, the only way to overcome ‘AI Hype Exhaustion Syndrome’ is to focus on tangible value, even if it is dull and unexciting.
Why didn’t we do this before?
In my experience, this means applying AI not so that people say “wow’’’, but so they say “why didn’t we do this before?”
Andrew Hannell: POV 
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