Trillions of dollars at stake: Can AI really deliver?
The hype surrounding artificial general intelligence (AGI) has reached unprecedented heights, with trillions of dollars riding on its success. AGI is touted as the holy grail of AI, promising to revolutionize industries and unlock unprecedented economic growth. However, skeptics warn that the promised land may be nothing more than a mirage.
Investors, from Silicon Valley moguls to Wall Street behemoths, are betting big on AGI, with estimates suggesting that over $2.9 trillion will be spent on datacentres, chips, and other AI-related infrastructure by 2028. The stakes are high, with the entire global economy potentially affected if AGI fails to materialize.
But what if it doesn't? According to some experts, the consequences of failing to achieve AGI could be catastrophic. David Cahn, a partner at Sequoia Capital, warns that "nothing short of AGI will be enough to justify the investments now being proposed for the coming decade." If AGI stalls, investors could face significant losses.
Yoshua Bengio, a prominent AI researcher, is equally pessimistic. "There's a clear possibility that we will hit a wall," he says. "And that could be a real [financial] crash." Bengio believes that advances in AGI may stall due to unforeseen difficulties, which could lead to a financial meltdown.
However, not everyone shares this bleak outlook. Benedict Evans, a technology analyst, argues that the expenditure numbers are not outrageous in the context of other industries. "These AI capex figures are a lot of money but it's not an impossible amount of money," he says.
Evans points out that generative AI, which includes tools like chatbots and video generators, has the potential to transform entire industries. While AGI may still be elusive, Evans believes that its impact will be significant.
As the stakes continue to grow, investors, regulators, and policymakers must navigate a complex web of risk and uncertainty. The potential consequences of a bubble bursting or an AGI failure are too great to ignore. Will the trillions of dollars riding on AGI deliver as promised? Only time will tell.
The hype surrounding artificial general intelligence (AGI) has reached unprecedented heights, with trillions of dollars riding on its success. AGI is touted as the holy grail of AI, promising to revolutionize industries and unlock unprecedented economic growth. However, skeptics warn that the promised land may be nothing more than a mirage.
Investors, from Silicon Valley moguls to Wall Street behemoths, are betting big on AGI, with estimates suggesting that over $2.9 trillion will be spent on datacentres, chips, and other AI-related infrastructure by 2028. The stakes are high, with the entire global economy potentially affected if AGI fails to materialize.
But what if it doesn't? According to some experts, the consequences of failing to achieve AGI could be catastrophic. David Cahn, a partner at Sequoia Capital, warns that "nothing short of AGI will be enough to justify the investments now being proposed for the coming decade." If AGI stalls, investors could face significant losses.
Yoshua Bengio, a prominent AI researcher, is equally pessimistic. "There's a clear possibility that we will hit a wall," he says. "And that could be a real [financial] crash." Bengio believes that advances in AGI may stall due to unforeseen difficulties, which could lead to a financial meltdown.
However, not everyone shares this bleak outlook. Benedict Evans, a technology analyst, argues that the expenditure numbers are not outrageous in the context of other industries. "These AI capex figures are a lot of money but it's not an impossible amount of money," he says.
Evans points out that generative AI, which includes tools like chatbots and video generators, has the potential to transform entire industries. While AGI may still be elusive, Evans believes that its impact will be significant.
As the stakes continue to grow, investors, regulators, and policymakers must navigate a complex web of risk and uncertainty. The potential consequences of a bubble bursting or an AGI failure are too great to ignore. Will the trillions of dollars riding on AGI deliver as promised? Only time will tell.
. On one hand, the potential economic benefits of AGI are substantial, with estimates suggesting that over $2.9 trillion will be spent on AI-related infrastructure by 2028 
. However, there are also valid concerns about the risks involved, including the possibility of unforeseen difficulties leading to a financial meltdown 
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. The crux of the matter lies in navigating the complex web of risk and uncertainty surrounding AGI, and it's crucial to consider the potential consequences of a bubble bursting or an AGI failure 
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. One thing is certain, however: the stakes are high, and the world is watching with bated breath 
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! Like, I get it, it sounds cool and all that jazz 
, but can we please just slow down and think about what's actually being invested here? $2.9 trillion is a lot of money 
. But at the same time, I do think that generative AI could be game-changer for industries 
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i'm all for innovation but come on people let's be realistic here 
and btw who gets to decide when we're good enough or not? 
And the consequences of failing to achieve it? That's some scary stuff 
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. Let's focus on making incremental progress and building upon existing successes rather than trying to push the boundaries too far 
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. One thing's for sure – it's gonna be a wild ride! 
$2.9 trillion is a LOT of money and if we're not careful, it could lead to a bubble bursting 
. I'm not entirely convinced that AGI will be as revolutionary as some people claim 
. Let's keep a level head and focus on making incremental improvements rather than betting everything on a single outcome 
. I think we need to take a step back and assess the risks vs the benefits. We can't just bet the farm on something that hasn't been proven yet 
. Let's focus on making incremental progress instead of trying to create some mythical AI superintelligence 
what if the hype is just too much and it all comes crashing down? but at the same time i think benedict evans has a point about the scale of investment in other industries 
what do you guys think? will AGI deliver or bust? 
and yeah, the world economy could be all messed up if we don't get it together 
I'm not sure if we're ready for this level of investment in AI just yet... Think about it, what does 'deliver' even mean in this context? Is it just about making money or is it about creating something truly revolutionary? We're talking trillions of dollars here, and that's a huge risk. What if we're so focused on the potential returns that we forget to consider the potential consequences? Like, what if AGI ends up making our lives more monotonous than they are now? 
like what if we're not good enough? I remember when I was in uni, my friends and I would stay up late trying to build our own chatbot and it was literally the most frustrating thing ever 
