Economic booms and subsequent busts, especially those associated with innovation, have been a part of history for centuries. So, what should we expect as the wax (hype) starts to wane for generative artificial intelligence (AI) powered by large language models a la ChatGPT? The likely answers will surprise you. Surprise No.1: AI is not new. In the 1940s, John von Neumann proposed a universal constructor—a self-replicating machine that could be used to build additional machines—and provided the theoretical underpinnings for its construction. But, until the recent advances in computer chip power, applied AI was relegated to dabbling and science fiction stories epitomized by the likes of “The Terminator” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Player Piano: A Novel.”
To learn more about the bubbles and other surprises, read Craig Yeack’s Tech Trends article in this month’s Concrete Products.