Blowing bubbles

We all live in a bubble of some kind. When we go on vacation, we briefly step out of our usual bubble and enter another. When we attend an event like a party or a wedding where we hardly know anyone, we glimpse other people's bubbles. These moments can be quite enlightening if we keep our minds open.

In our day-to-day lives, we tend to think our bubble is much bigger than it truly is. Meanwhile, people outside our bubble perceive it as much smaller than we imagine. It's a distortion, much like looking at something underwater—above the surface, things seem smaller and simpler; below, they swell in size and complexity.

Technologists believe that their bubble isn't just larger than it is, it's also constantly expanding, and will ultimately encompass everyone else's. Traditionalists, on the other hand, like to believe their bubble is unchanging, impervious to outside forces, or at least capable of resisting them with sufficient effort. Most people, however, live in bubbles with more fluid boundaries, accepting changes that feel right, avoiding those that feel threatening, and ignoring those they don't understand (or don't want to).

AI is a bubble too—one that has been expanding far longer than many realize. Initially, it grew in small, specialized bubbles: starting in academic research and scientific experiments, and later in industrial applications and specialized enterprise tools. Gradually, it seeped into consumer technologies. Now, seemingly overnight, it's everywhere. It's transforming industries, hailed by some as our salvation and by others as an existential threat. Its sudden arrival has taken many by surprise because it’s been growing at an exponential rate—the kind of growth that goes unnoticed until it hits a tipping point, leaving many in shock or disbelief.

When AI was a small bubble, most people ignored it. When it became a medium-sized bubble, some took note but carried on with their lives. Now, AI has crossed that threshold, and for many, panic has set in. "Where did this come from? We're not ready for this!"

The thing about bubbles is, if they grow too big too fast, they tend to pop. Whether the AI bubble will burst or continue expanding remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: it’s forcing all of us to re-evaluate the boundaries of our own bubbles—how resilient they are, how much we want to let in, and what we might be missing if we don’t.

Cover image made with Midjourney. Editing assistance provided by ChatGPT-4o with canvas.