As AI investment surges to unprecedented heights, Athena’s October “Ripped from the Headlines” Salon—led by Andrea Bonime-Blanc—dives into whether we’re witnessing a fleeting bubble, looming trouble, or the dawn of a transformative new era.
By Andrea Bonime-Blanc
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For the “Ripped from the Headlines” Salon for October 2025, the Athena community voted to explore various aspects of the supercharged AI investment market, including regulatory support, technological integration across sectors, and the need for strategic approaches to manage potential job losses. Asking the question: Is it a bubble, otherwise trouble, or just the beginning of a new era? The conversation explored education and technology’s role in different sectors, emphasizing the importance of developing appropriate guardrails and educational programs to ensure technology serves humanity’s best interests.
The overall question we addressed in this discussion was the following:
The meeting focused on the topic of AI tech innovation, discussing whether it represents a bubble or the beginning of a new era. I presented data from various sources, including the Financial Times and Stanford University HAI AI Index, highlighting the surge in AI investment and its potential impacts on the job market, economy, and environment. I shared information on the need to consider the long-term sustainability of AI investment and the risks of overhyping AI capabilities. The discussion also touched on the environmental consequences of AI expansion and the importance of rethinking technology’s relationship with the environment.
We discussed the summary of trends and analysis that supports the idea that we are either in an AI investment bubble that will burst or that we’re in the first innings of a full baseball game with much more to play out. See the summary provided by Google’s Gemini in the chart below.
I discussed the trillion-dollar AI investment forecasts, highlighting productivity gains, economic value, and the integration of AI into various sectors. We discussed the importance of regulatory support, declining marginal costs, and broader access, while questioning what professionals and citizens should do to protect themselves and stakeholders from potential downsides. A participant focused on separating financial investment from the technology itself, noting that AI could have a significant impact on businesses similar to the impact of the internet. She suggested that legacy industries need to develop a strategic approach to AI, including a people strategy to manage potential job losses, and proposed that companies facing significant layoffs should be offered a different corporate tax structure.
The Table below summarizes the 10 year investment trends we examined, looking back 5 years and forwards projecting for another 5.
In the chart below (shared from Stanford’s 2025 AI Index Report), investment trends are depicted for the past decade showing a 26% growth in global private AI investment to an all time high in 2024.
A participant discussed the shift in global battery production to China, highlighting missed opportunities by Europe and the US. She expressed optimism about biotech innovations, such as CRISPR, in reviving ecosystems and enhancing carbon intake in trees. We discussed the importance of data traceability in AI solutions to ensure the accuracy and reliability of outcomes. I noted the potential for technological solutions to address significant global challenges, but expressed concern about the lack of effective governance in leveraging these innovations for broader societal benefits.
Several participants discussed the importance of preserving cultural and human elements in the face of technological advancements, particularly in the arts. A participant raised questions about what cultural items should be preserved, highlighting the need for ethical considerations and human involvement in creative processes. I discussed the significance of keeping humans in and on the loop when using AI tools, drawing on my experience with relatives in the creative arts.
Another participant expressed concerns about the long-term impact of AI on young people’s development, particularly regarding attention spans, social skills, and relationships. Others acknowledged these concerns and mentioned partial solutions like banning phones from schools, while also noting the benefits of AI as a research tool. The participants agreed on the importance of setting guardrails when using AI technology.
The group discussed the intersection of technology and human control, with a focus on the need for education and awareness, particularly among young people. One participant shared her work with a non-profit that teaches AI and cybersecurity to children of all ages, emphasizing the importance of starting education early. The conversation also touched on the dangers of autonomous weapons and the need for human oversight in technology development. The participants agreed that more investment is needed in education and guardrails to ensure technology serves humanity’s best interests.
The group discussed the impact of AI and technology on various sectors, including trades and education. One participant highlighted the shortage of electricians and other skilled tradespeople, which could affect future AI development and innovation. Concerns about the current political climate’s effect on science education and research funding were expressed. The participants also discussed the use of AI in academia, with one participant sharing an anecdote about professors using ChatGPT to grade student essays. The conversation touched on the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI in education, as well as the need for critical thinking and questioning skills from a young age.
While we didn’t necessarily get to a definitive an answer to whether AI is in “a bubble, trouble, or sky’s the limit” there was an overall consensus that we are at the dawn of a revolutionary time that is full of opportunity and challenges and that, while the corporate tech titans are focused on innovation, growth and ever greater riches, we also need to focus on governance, stakeholders and impacts on real people.
© Athena Alliance 2025
