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AI capex is so big that it's affecting economic statistics

(paulkedrosky.com)
337 points throw0101c | 1 comments | 18 Jul 25 19:59 UTC | HN request time: 0.35s | source
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jonas21 ◴[18 Jul 25 21:09 UTC] No.44609857[source]▶
I don't know... 1.2% of GDP just doesn't seem that extreme to me. Certainly nowhere near "eating the economy" level compared to other transformative technologies or programs like:

- Apollo program: 4%

- Railroads: 6% (mentioned by the author)

- Covid stimulus: 27%

- WW2 defense: 40%

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EA-3167 ◴[18 Jul 25 21:15 UTC] No.44609914[source]▶
- The birth of the space age, and more realistically the birth of the ICBM and satellite age. Both key to national security, and in the context of a cold war.

- 40% of long-distance ton miles travel by rail in the US. This represents a VAST part of the economic activity within the country.

- A literal plague, and the cessation of much economic activity, with the goal of avoiding a total collapse.

- ...Come on.

So we're comparing these earth-shaking changes and reactions to crisis with "AI"? Other than the people selling pickaxes and hookers to the prospectors, who is getting rich here exactly? What essential economic activity is AI crucial to? What war is it fighting? It mostly seems to be a toy that costs FAR more than it could ever hope to make, subsidized by some obscenely wealthy speculators, executives fantasizing about savings that don't materialize, and a product looking for a purpose commensurate to the resources it eats.

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1. detourdog ◴[18 Jul 25 22:06 UTC] No.44610313[source]▶
I agree we don’t have an actual ROI on AI yet. There is a ton of activity but the progress for society is speculation at this point. I don’t think we will have an idea on societal progression for at least 10 years and maybe 30.