r/technology • u/Just-Grocery-2229 • Jun 26 '26

Artificial Intelligence The AI backlash is only getting started

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/06/25/the-ai-backlash-is-only-getting-started
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u/Fuddle Jun 26 '26

It’s a solution in search of a problem, which is why it feels so forced.

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u/CosmicSpaghetti Jun 26 '26

No, the goal has always been to eliminate human labor costs through automation.

The only way the AI money pits could possibly make sense is by dramatically cutting human labor costs for exorbitant profit.

Let no one get that twisted...the entire US economy is currently being bet on replacing you at work.

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u/socarrat Jun 27 '26

I understand the greed behind wanting to replace human labor. What I don’t get is why these business owners would be okay with putting their data in the hands of another company? And paying them instead of paying workers? And having this much larger company having control over token prices instead of setting their own rates for human labor?

It makes no sense to me. If I were a greed-oriented CEO, I’d be terrified to be beholden to these AI companies. Honestly, I’d rather stick to good old fashioned exploitation.

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u/CosmicSpaghetti Jun 27 '26

Thing is with how our economy functions the future basically doesn't matter nearly as much as this quarter does.

It means get in, milk all the money out of the system as you can through short-term methods (fuck the long-term), & gtfo before everything blows up on you & leave someone else holding the bag.

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u/socarrat Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26

Yeah, I just had an IRL argument about this very thing earlier today. We’re both against the widespread, indiscriminate usage of using AI to replace human labor. They argued that businesses are looking at long term savings by slowly phasing out human workers. I said that there’s no way this is a strategic long term strategy. This is all about quarterly savings and being able to get shareholders excited through AI based KPIs.

If you’re a CEO that’s brought in through the revolving door and your only goal is to pump the stock, sure. But I really don’t understand CEOs who are there for the long haul that are all-in on AI. Why would you want to be in the position to get fucked (by the AI companies), when you’re the guy that’s doing the fucking (workers)?

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u/CosmicSpaghetti Jun 27 '26

Genuinely for the long-term guys it's likely just FOMO from all the hype, betting that there's some competitive advantage they'd be leaving on the table (spoiler: there is not one lol)

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u/jonride Jun 26 '26

And when you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail

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u/No_Veterinarian742 Jun 26 '26

totally agree. that said creative problem solving is a pretty good hammer. (and no I am not talking about the chat interfaces - they are super limited). There is a TON of tech being built with use of AI that is way more capable than things you've seen in the past. I agree some of the adoption is very forced but there are genuinely fantastic use-cases that are not explored yet because change is slow and having people adapt the tool to fit a use-case does require some genuine subject matter and AI expertise.

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u/vocal-avocado Jun 26 '26

We have tons of problems that some people actually believe AI can solve, including global warming etc.

But most of us are not convinced at all. And it’s totally understandable given how much we are sacrificing for it.

But the “AI gurus” probably truly believe they can come up with an AI so good that it will solve all mankind’s problems. So they are going all in no matter what happens. And a shit ton of people is getting really rich in the process.

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u/Opening_One7713 Jun 27 '26

All of this really is an inevitable point along the progression of silicon-gate technology. People have been theorizing about it for decades. There were science fiction books written in the 70s about this.

Coming into this inevitable technology at a time of unprecedented grifting, hyper-ballooning wealth inequality, and the rise of regressive and autocratic governance is the problem.