The AI Gurus: Preaching Buzzwords, Avoiding Answers

Welcome back to our ongoing series: "AI – The Fairy Tale That Keeps Giving… Until It Doesn’t." Last time, we explored how AI has become the ultimate buzzword, used to impress without understanding. This time, let’s look at what happens when the hype goes too far—and why hiring real experts, not just smooth talkers, could save us from disaster.

The Overpromising Game

Overpromising is a common game in AI marketing. Companies say their AI solutions can solve everything. “Our AI will double your sales, cut your costs, and maybe even teach your dog to fetch coffee!” But guess what? It can’t.

Take IBM Watson’s healthcare project. Watson was supposed to change how we fight cancer. Hospitals believed the hype, but the results were disappointing. Watson suggested treatments that didn’t work and sometimes didn’t even make sense. After millions of dollars wasted, everyone realized AI isn’t magic—it’s just a tool.

When Hype Leads to Failure

When companies overmarket AI, they create big expectations. But when those promises fall apart, the consequences are serious:

1. Trust is Lost: Customers and investors stop believing in AI.
2. Resources are Wasted: Millions are spent on tools that don’t deliver results.
3. Future Innovations are Hurt: Real progress struggles because no one trusts new ideas anymore.

Remember WeWork’s AI tool for predicting office locations? It promised amazing insights. In the end, it failed, just like the company itself.

"AI-Powered" Everything

These days, "AI-powered" is slapped on every product to make it look smarter. AI toothbrushes to analyze your brushing habits. AI pillows to improve your sleep. Even a $700 AI juicer called Juicero, which turned out to do nothing more than squeeze juice bags—something your hands could do for free.

When products overpromise and underdeliver, they don’t just fail—they become jokes. And nobody wants to be the next Juicero.

Forgetting Common Sense

Over-marketing AI also blinds people to common sense. Managers think AI is the answer to every problem:

• "Our website is slow—let’s add AI!"
• "Customers are unhappy—AI will fix it!"
• "The coffee machine is broken—must need AI!"

One big company spent millions using AI to improve their supply chain. The AI suggested not stocking popular items to save money. Customers weren’t impressed.

The Jargon Trap

Marketers love complicated words. “AI-driven quantum synergy” sounds impressive but means nothing. Some even promise “AI-powered dog training with blockchain.” Because clearly, your dog needs blockchain to learn "sit."

The truth? If someone can’t explain AI simply, they probably don’t understand it.

The Path to Redemption

Over-marketing AI doesn’t have to lead to failure. Here’s how we can do better:

1. Be Honest About AI’s Limits: Stop promising miracles. Say what AI can really do.
2. Teach Decision-Makers: Help leaders understand AI’s strengths and weaknesses.
3. Focus on Results, Not Buzzwords: Show the numbers, not just the slogans.
4. Hire Knowledgeable AI Experts: The real solution is hiring actual experts, not just speakers who throw around fancy words.

If You Want Real Results, Stop Hiring AI Wizards and Get Actual Experts

This can’t be said enough. Real AI experts are like unicorns—they might not sparkle in meetings, but they actually know how to get things done. They understand where AI fits, where it doesn’t, and when your “AI-powered innovation” is really just a glorified Excel sheet.

Instead, what do companies do? They hire AI storytellers—people who can make PowerPoint slides dance but wouldn’t know a neural network from a fishing net. So, here’s the golden rule: if your AI hire talks more about “synergizing disruptive paradigms” than solving actual problems, hand them a microphone, not a budget.

Because at the end of the day, you don’t need a magician pulling jargon out of a hat. You need an expert who knows when to say, “No, AI won’t fix that.”

Final Thoughts

AI has the potential to transform industries, but the hype is doing more harm than good. Let’s leave the exaggerated promises behind and focus on what AI can do, with the help of real experts leading the way.

Because at the end of the day, the success of AI doesn’t depend on flashy marketing or buzzwords. It depends on skilled people who know what they’re doing.

Remember: If you want real results, get real experts. Now, go hire one.