Introducing: The AI Hype Index

There’s no denying that the AI industry moves fast. Each week brings a bold new announcement, product release, or lofty claim that pushes the bounds of what we previously thought was possible. Separating AI fact from hyped-up fiction isn’t always easy. That’s why we’ve created the AI Hype Index—a simple, at-a-glance summary of everything you need to know about the state of the industry.

Our first index is a white-knuckle ride that ranges from the outright depressing—rising numbers of sexually explicit deepfakes; the complete lack of rules governing Elon Musk’s Grok AI model—to the bizarre, including AI-powered dating wingmen and startup Friend’s dorky intelligent-jewelry line. 

But it’s not all a horror show—at least not entirely. AI is being used for more wholesome endeavors, too, like simulating the classic video game Doom without a traditional gaming engine. Elsewhere, AI models have gotten so good at table tennis they can now beat beginner-level human opponents. They’re also giving us essential insight into the secret names monkeys use to communicate with one another. Because while AI may be a lot of things, it’s never boring.