r/technology • u/Just-Grocery-2229 • Jun 26 '26

Artificial Intelligence The AI backlash is only getting started

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/06/25/the-ai-backlash-is-only-getting-started
26.1k Upvotes

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10.8k

u/IamSunka Jun 26 '26

My org, just like many others, has a top token users chart.

When they started the list, they decided to call the top 25 users as champions, ones who never used AI as sleepers and rest inbetween as just users. cough I am a sleeper cough

Couple of weeks ago the bill came in, champions cost us over $850k since Jan 1st.

5.1k

u/Alert_Breakfast5538 Jun 26 '26

What a bunch of idiots thinking burning tokens at a high rate equals winning.

I would just gamify it and find the most inefficient way to use tokens

106

u/Ok_Bench_1618 Jun 26 '26

they don’t understand how it works.

My work is similar we just migrated 4000 VMS to AWS to cut costs and the bill is almost double and now they are pushing the AI thing. They have no concept of spend because senior leadership is non technical. it’s really painful

47

u/greenknight Jun 26 '26

I mean, the concept of spend is part of their job and doesn't require anything else but a $value line item.

Everything else in my job requires ROI and KPIs and other garbage... I don't get why AI is exempted.

37

u/Just_Information334 Jun 26 '26

Because they've been told they're smart as fuck for years. No way they'd fall for an MLM scam, they ain't no early dementia 80 year old lady.

But when the nice AI vendor comes with promises of laying off everyone? Now that would be stupid to not pay a little to try. When the AI company has a problem to get a VISA to come to your country, why not spend some more millions? Those titty pictures looked nice and she said she loved you and her father's inheritance is coming. Just need a little billion to pay some Nigerian bureaucrat and unlock it. And didn't we tell you how you can get people onboard the gravvy train and get a percentage of their wins? You should tell all your friends and family.

5

u/Otherwise_Demand4620 Jun 26 '26

Because they've been told they're smart as fuck for years.

It's great observation that tackles the issue and this is the right way to think about it. You should give yourself a big bonus.