February 21, 2026
From hype to gripe
People Loved the Dot-Com Boom. The A.I. Boom, Not So Much
From dot‑com cheers to AI jeers: “pure downside” vibes
TLDR: Tech leaders say AI’s big moment isn’t landing with the public, and even OpenAI’s CEO says adoption is slower than expected. Commenters blame inflation, job fears, and hype fatigue—some calling it a lose-lose where either AI kills jobs or the bubble pops and jobs vanish anyway.
Silicon Valley promised AI would be “bigger than fire,” but the crowd’s bringing the ice. In the wake of a New York Times look at lukewarm public enthusiasm for the AI boom (link), commenters dragged the hype with theatrical flair. One camp says the wonder is real but the payoff is late: dhruv3006 sighed that the “utility will… come a lot later than the hype,” pointing out flashy demos while everyday reasoning still falls short. Another chorus is pure vibes-based rebellion: cosmic_cheese says it’s being shoved “too much too fast,” with AI suddenly bolted onto every app, fridge, and toaster.
Then the class-war drums kicked in. Zaptheimpaler blasted that “the gains go to capital,” arguing AI makes workers more productive while salaries sink and jobs vanish. Nick49488171 added a harsh backdrop: everyone’s broke after inflation; there’s no money (or patience) left for a shiny new tech wave. And prydt distilled the mood into a meme-friendly doom fork: either AI gets great and you lose your job, or it pops and… you lose your job anyway.
Cue the jokes: “AI is bigger than fire—cool, my rent’s still on fire,” and “Please stop putting AI in my coffee machine.” Even Sam Altman admitting AI is spreading slower than expected became a punchline: maybe the problem isn’t speed; it’s trust, wallets, and vibes. The internet’s verdict? Less revolution, more recession anxiety—plus a side of meme-fueled mutiny.
Key Points
- •The article contrasts public enthusiasm for the dot‑com boom with a cooler reception to today’s A.I. boom.
- •Tech leaders have used sweeping metaphors (e.g., “new electricity,” “bigger than fire”) to frame A.I.’s importance.
- •Sam Altman said A.I. is spreading more slowly than he expected, indicating adoption lag.
- •The piece notes industry worry that muted public enthusiasm could undermine A.I. momentum.
- •Claims that A.I. will rapidly and radically improve lives face skepticism about near-term practical value.