CEOs are warning AI adoption and spending should be more strategic

AI brain coming out of laptop screen
(Image credit: Getty Images / Surasak Suwanmake)

  • Many new AI concepts are creating solutions to problems that don’t exist
  • Throwing money at AI, or ‘YOLO’ investments, isn’t the answer
  • Google acknowledges the threat of an AI bubble

If AI-literate CEOs have one thing in common, it’s that they see the need for a more strategic approach to AI deployments rather than a one-size-fits-all and all-in approach to investing.

Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber criticized hardware makers for rushing into AI gadgets without actually first solving real user problems.

“What’s out there is a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist,” Faber said in an interview (via SwissInfo).

Are companies rushing (blindly) into AI?

Conversely, Faber says that Logitech is gradually rolling out AI features to its existing products, like smart cameras and mice, rather than creating flashy device concepts that have reduced used cases.

This comes from a CEO who, last month at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, called for AI agents to be present in all company board meetings in the name of boosted productivity.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is another business leader who’s cautious about AI spend, warning that massive AI infrastructure spend could trigger financial risk if companies misjudge their demand.

“I think there are some players who are not managing that risk well or taking unwise risk,” he said at a recent New York Times summit, slating come companies for taking a ‘YOLO’ approach to AI investments.

Amodei also advocates for planning for side effects like workforce disruptions and national security risks, rather than just maximum technological acceleration.

These aren’t the only CEOs to have taken a step back from the AI trend to analyze conditions and predict the next phases – Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged in a BBC interview that even his company, now worth $3.87 trillion thanks largely to AI, would not be immune from an AI bubble.

In an interview with The Verge, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even claimed that investors get “overexcited” about AI, and they could be “burned” as the hype dies down.

Ultimately, tech CEOs agree that AI is a powerful tool, but discipline and strategy are more important than hype when it comes to taking the next steps.


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With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

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