AI is going to reproduce human intelligence. AI will eliminate disease. AI is the biggest, most important invention in human history. You’ve probably heard it all—but probably none of it is true.
aye Is Our world is changing, but we still don’t know the real winners, or how it will all turn out.
After a few years of out-of-control hype, people are now starting to rethink what AI is, what it can do, and how we should think about its ultimate impact.
Here, at the end of 2025, we are starting the post-hype phase. This new package of stories, called Hype Correction, is a way to reset expectations – a critical look at where we are, what AI makes possible, and where we go next.
Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:
+ Introducing four ways to think about the great AI hype reform of 2025.
+ While it’s safe to say that we’re definitely in an AI bubble at the moment, it’s less clear what it actually looks like – and what happens after it bursts. Read the full story.
+ Why OpenAI’s Sam Altman can be traced back to many of the strange announcements being made about AI these days. Read the full story.
+ It’s a strange time to be an AI doomer. But they are not giving up.
+ AI coding is everywhere now – but despite billions of dollars being spent to improve the coding capabilities of AI models, not everyone is convinced. Read the full story.
+ If we really want to start discovering new types of materials faster, the discovery of AI materials needs to be taken out of the lab and into the real world. Read the full story.
+ Why reports of AI’s ability to replace trained human lawyers have been greatly exaggerated.
+ Dr. Margaret Mitchell, chief ethics scientist at AI startup Hugging Face, explains why the generative AI hype train is distracting us from what AI really is and what it can – and crucially, cannot – do. Read the full story.
Must read
I’ve scoured the internet to find you today’s funniest/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 iRobot has filed for bankruptcy
The Roomba maker is considering handing over control to its main Chinese supplier. ,bloomberg ,
, Amazon’s proposed acquisition failed nearly two years ago. ,foot ,
, How did the company go astray? ,techcrunch,
, Roomba recorded a woman going to the toilet. How to get screenshots on Facebook? (MIT Technology Review)
2 Meta’s 2025 was full of ups and downs
From his controversial AI team to Mark Zuckerberg’s new appreciation for manly energy. ,insider ,
3 The Trump Administration Is Giving the Crypto Industry a Too Easy Ride
It has dismissed crypto lawsuits involving several firms with financial ties to Trump. ,NYT ,
, Celebrities are once again feeling emboldened to weigh in on crypto. ,Guardian,
, A Bitcoin investor wants to establish a crypto libertarian community in the Caribbean. ,foot ,
