November 11, 2025
Hype fight, EU-style
Stop overhyping AI, scientists tell von der Leyen
EU boss accused of buying AI hype; internet splits between “it’s here” and “please chill”
TLDR: Over 70 scientists told Ursula von der Leyen to stop hyping claims that AI could match human intelligence next year; the EU says it’s just planning, not predicting. Comments erupt: some say AI already passed human tests, others mock EU miracle-chasing and question credibility. Why it matters: policy vs hype.
Europe’s latest AI drama: more than 70 scientists told Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to dial it back after she suggested AI could match human intelligence “next year.” The letter slams her sources—quotes from tech CEOs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia) and even famed researcher Yoshua Bengio—as “marketing statements” dressed up as science. The Commission quickly tried to cool things down, saying they’re not actually predicting a date, just “preparing for different scenarios.”
The comments? Pure chaos. One camp says the hype train is real, bragging we blew past the old “Turing test” (a classic measure of machine smarts) ages ago. Another camp rolls its eyes at leaders chasing a “Wunderwaffe”—a miracle gadget to fix deeper problems—mocking Europe’s habit of pinning hopes on moonshots like flying taxis, quantum, blockchain, and now AI. Then there’s the spice: a commenter drags in Pfizer text messages to question trust, while another sneers at the signatory list for including social science and humanities folks, sniping: “the usual types” teaching critical perspectives. On the flip side, others blast the letter as anti-science vibes, likening AI skeptics to vaccine skeptics parroting troll rhetoric.
It’s a full-on internet cage match: hype believers vs sober skeptics vs political cynics. Meanwhile, UN advisors Abeba Birhane and Virginia Dignum, plus Belgian AI veteran Luc Steels, give the letter serious heft—though the crowd is still asking: is this caution or just EU politics playing defense?
Key Points
- •Over 70 scientists urged Ursula von der Leyen to retract a claim that AI could reach human-level intelligence next year.
- •Von der Leyen made the statement at the EU’s annual budget conference in May, contrasting earlier expectations around 2050.
- •The European Commission said the claim was based on internal expertise and a desk review referencing statements by Yoshua Bengio and leaders at Anthropic, OpenAI, and Nvidia.
- •The scientists argue these are marketing-driven claims lacking empirical evidence and risk undermining Europe’s credibility.
- •A Commission spokesperson said the EU is not predicting a date, emphasizing preparedness and scenario planning; the piece was updated on 11 November with this comment.