Next in Tech

Is there an AI bubble?


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The enthusiasm for AI has been impressive and it's leading to the inevitable questions about whether or not all of it is warranted. Melissa Otto CFA, head of S&P Global's Visible Alpha research team, returns to discuss concerns about an AI bubble with host Eric Hanselman. Defining what actually indicates a bubble might be the trickiest aspect of the question. Is it outsized levels of debt? Unrealistic valuations? Both debt and valuations are high, but are they unreasonably so? So much depends on seeing what AI capabilities can deliver and we're still in the early days of understanding what ROI really is. There are still challenges in getting the domain approaches right. Doing real analytical work is more challenging and there is still more work to do in integrating with business processes.

And it's not just the technical aspects that are in play. It's possible that macroeconomic restraints are holding back even more enthusiastic spending that could create a bubble. Current interest rates create caution in taking on additional debt. It's also possible that rate cuts could unleash more risk taking and overextension through debt. That might be an indicator of a looming bubble. Or maybe not…

More S&P Global Content:

  • Datacenter & Energy Innovation Summit 2025
  • Otto: Markets are grappling with how to price AI-related stocks
  • Netflix earnings preview: Q3 2025
  • Next in Tech podcast, Episode 239: AI Infrastructure
  • Next in Tech podcast, Episode 221: Datacenter slowdown?

For S&P Global Subscribers:

  • Shifting AI exits
  • Venture capital outlook: Investments surge as exits lag
  • Hyperscaler earnings quarterly: AWS, Azure and Google Cloud capex projections trend still higher
  • Tech Trend in Focus: GPUaaS market momentum

Credits:

  • Host/Author: Eric Hanselman
  • Guest: Melissa Otto, CFA
  • Producer/Editor: Feranmi Adeoshun
  • Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Kyra Smith
...more
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