To say AI has dominated headlines, investment flows, and the overwhelming concerns of people who like to use their genetically inherited human brains for a living is an understatement. In the last few weeks, talk of an “AI bubble” has reached fever pitch with comparisons of today’s hype to the dot-com crash – way back when I was still using a ZIP drive and basking in 512kb broadband or a few ISDN lines smooshed together.
Even AI insiders are cautious. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warned that investors are “overexcited” and “not rational,” predicting someone will lose “a phenomenal amount of money”. Recent signs support that worry: OpenAI’s ChatGPT-5 had a lukewarm reception, and an MIT study found 95% of corporate AI pilots failed to deliver measurable value.
With a new perspective, were [Apple] behind in the race, or waiting for everyone else to run into a wall?
Meta Hits Pause
Perhaps the strongest signal came from Meta. After a hiring spree that included astronomical salaries and $100m signing bonuses, Mark Zuckerberg abruptly froze AI hiring. Officially, it’s “basic planning,” but the move spooked investors. If even Meta is slowing down, the AI gold rush may be cooling.
Markets are reacting: Nvidia, once the poster child of AI’s boom, has faced volatility. Analysts warn that if the “AI miracle” proves a mirage, the stock market could face a reckoning.
You also have to wonder about the Apple situation around AI. With a new perspective, were they behind in the race, or waiting for everyone else to run into a wall?
Impact on Creatives
For the creative industry, this cooling could be double-edged. AI tools have disrupted photography, illustration, and writing. Photographer Oliver Fiegel, saw his newspaper gigs vanish as editors used AI-generated “illustrations” instead.
AI, and the looming sense of doom in the creative industry, is still at the top of agendas. Leading industry press like Creative Boom are giving good advice on how to level-up in the age of AI – (TL;DR – Humanity and genuine connection will win)
All of which gives me hope that there are human skills which AI cannot replicate, that will keep us creatives not just employed, but indispensable over the long term. — Tom May, Creative Boom
If the bubble bursts, the rush to replace humans may slow. Companies might accept that AI is helpful, but not a wholesale substitute for professional design, storytelling, or brand strategy. Studies like MIT’s reinforce that ROI from AI is often vague or elusive. That could bring welcome breathing space for creatives to reassert their value, using AI as a tool rather than competition.
The IP Storm
The biggest unresolved issue is intellectual property. Generative AI was built on massive datasets of human work, often without permission. Authors, artists, and musicians have sued nearly every major AI company – OpenAI, Meta, Google, Stability AI, and more – for training on copyrighted works. These cases could reshape AI. If courts demand licensing, costs rise; if not, the rift between tech and creatives may deepen.
What Happens if the Bubble Pops?
If AI firms falter, their models may spill into the wild. This already happened when Meta’s LLaMA leaked, allowing anyone to modify and redistribute it without oversight. Security experts warn that such uncensored models are attractive to cybercriminals, and politicians are raising concerns about misuse for fraud and disinformation.
That means all the “borrowed” creative IP embedded in these models could be repurposed for scams, propaganda, or knockoff content. For creatives, this poses ongoing risks: work is devalued not just by corporations, but by uncontrolled use in black markets of content.
The AI boom isn’t vanishing, but there’s a risk of a market-walloping, VC-slapping downturn. For creatives, that means less hype-driven panic and more opportunity to define AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement. But the fight over IP and the risk of models being used unethically will shape the next chapter.
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Photo by Emilipothèse on Unsplash