Yazılar

Experts Divided Over Whether AI Boom Is the Next Big Bubble

/in /tarafından

The record-breaking wave of artificial intelligence investments has sparked fierce debate across global markets, with opinions divided over whether the sector is inflating into a bubble reminiscent of the early 2000s dot-com frenzy.

According to Bank of America Global Research, 54% of surveyed fund managers now believe AI stocks are in a bubble, compared to 38% who disagree. The discussion has gained urgency as companies pour hundreds of billions into AI infrastructure, data centers, and startups, pushing valuations to new extremes.

The Bank of England warned that a sharp market correction tied to fading AI optimism could ripple through the global financial system. “The risk of a sharp market correction has increased,” its Financial Policy Committee said in an October update.

Singapore’s GIC investment chief Bryan Yeo also described “a little bit of a hype bubble” in the venture space, saying startups labeled as AI firms are being valued “at huge multiples” of modest revenue.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos offered a nuanced view, saying industrial bubbles often leave lasting benefits even if many investors lose money. “When the dust settles and you see who are the winners, society benefits from those inventions,” he said.

Others, such as Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs and ABB CEO Morten Wierod, argue the AI investment surge remains justified given long-term potential — though both caution about bottlenecks in infrastructure and human resources.

By contrast, Michael Burry — famed for predicting the 2008 financial crisis — has bet against high-flying AI stocks like Nvidia and Palantir, warning that the boom mirrors past speculative manias.

IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas agreed that a correction could come but emphasized it would likely be contained. “This is not financed by debt,” he said, meaning any fallout would primarily hurt equity investors.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman echoed that sentiment, admitting that investors may be “overexcited” and predicting that “someone is going to lose a phenomenal amount of money.”

Yet, UBS strategists note that even among those who believe in an AI bubble, about 90% are still invested — a sign of the sector’s magnetic pull despite growing caution.

Amazon Sues Perplexity Over AI Shopping Agent That Secretly Accessed Customer Accounts

/in /tarafından

Amazon has filed a lawsuit against Perplexity AI, accusing the fast-growing startup of illegally accessing Amazon customer accounts through its automated “agentic” shopping feature. The complaint, filed Tuesday in a U.S. District Court in California, claims Perplexity’s Comet browser and AI agent disguised automated activity as human browsing to place orders on behalf of users.

The dispute marks a major flashpoint in the debate over regulating AI “agents” — autonomous digital assistants that can navigate websites, make purchases, and perform other online tasks on users’ behalf. Amazon said Perplexity’s technology posed security risks and had repeatedly ignored requests to stop unauthorized activity on its platform.

“Perplexity’s misconduct must end,” Amazon said in its filing, adding that the startup’s software “purposely disguised its automated activity” and that its actions were “no less unlawful” than a physical break-in.

Perplexity, whose AI tools have surged in popularity amid the rise of conversational assistants, previously dismissed Amazon’s complaints, calling them an attempt to stifle innovation and protect its ad-driven business model. “Bullying is when large corporations use legal threats to block innovation,” the startup said in an earlier blog post.

Amazon argued that Perplexity’s AI agent interfered with its ability to deliver a personalized shopping experience, undermining systems built over decades. The company added that third-party apps making purchases for users must act transparently and respect site policies.

Perplexity said its Comet AI assistant allows users to shop and compare products autonomously, while keeping login credentials stored locally, not on company servers. It argued that consumers have the right to choose their own AI shopping tools — a stance that could shape future legal battles over the limits of AI automation in e-commerce.

Apple to Integrate Google’s Gemini AI Model to Power New Siri, Bloomberg Reports

/in /tarafından

Apple plans to use Google’s massive 1.2 trillion-parameter Gemini AI model to power the next generation of its Siri voice assistant, according to a Bloomberg report published Wednesday. The deal, expected to be finalized soon, would see Apple pay roughly $1 billion annually for access to Google’s advanced AI technology.

The partnership marks a major step in Apple’s artificial intelligence ambitions, as it seeks to close the gap with rivals like Microsoft and OpenAI in generative AI. The Gemini model — one of the world’s most powerful — is set to serve as a temporary solution while Apple continues developing its own large-scale AI systems.

Bloomberg reported that the Gemini integration would enable Siri to handle more complex queries, offer improved conversational capabilities, and process natural language more fluidly than before. Apple’s current in-house models are far smaller in scale and capability compared with Google’s.

Neither Apple nor Alphabet has commented on the report. The collaboration underscores the growing trend among major tech firms to partner on AI development, even as they compete fiercely in the space.

Apple’s use of a Google-built AI model mirrors its long-standing partnership with the search giant, whose engine already powers Safari search functions on iPhones — another deal worth billions annually.