Tech Bros Love AI Waifus

OpenAI is pivoting to porn while public sentiment turns decisively against AI. Pew Research shows Americans are now concerned over excited by a 2:1 margin. We trace how we got here: broken promises of cancer cures replaced by addiction mechanics and expensive APIs. Meanwhile, data centers are hiding a near-recession, straining power grids, and literally breaking your household appliances. Drawing parallels to the 1970s AI winter, we argue the bubble is shaking and needs to pop now, before it becomes another 2008. The good news? Grassroots resistance works. Protests have already blocked $64 billion in data center projects.NOTE: The project that we cite for the $64 billion blockage is actually a pro-data-center campaign. The numbers still seem ok, but it's worth being aware of.Chapters(00:00) - - Introduction (06:45) - - The Addiction Business Model (10:15) - - Public Sentiment Data (22:45) - - Data Centers and Infrastructure Problems (36:30) - - The Bubble Discussion (44:36) - - Closing Thoughts & Outro LinksPublic Sentiment on AIPew Research report - How People Around the World View AIPew Research report - How the U.S. Public and AI Experts View Artificial IntelligencePew Research report - How Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and SocietyUniversity of Toronto report - Trust, attitudes and use of artificial intelligence: A global study 2025Melbourne Business School report - Key findings on public attitudes towards AIThe Washington Post article - Americans have become more pessimistic about AI. Why?The New York Times article - From Mexico to Ireland, Fury Mounts Over a Global A.I. FrenzyThe Guardian article - ‘It shows such a laziness’: why I refuse to date someone who uses ChatGPTThe Register article - OpenAI's ChatGPT is so popular that almost no one will pay for itAI and Claims of Curing CancerRachel Thomas, PhD blogpost - “AI will cure cancer” misunderstands both AI and medicineThe Atlantic article - OpenAI Wants to Cure Cancer. So Why Did It Make a Web Browser?Independent article - ChatGPT boss predicts when AI could cure cancerThe Atlantic article - AI Executives Promise Cancer Cures. Here’s the RealityAI Porn and the Addiction EconomyForbes article - ChatGPT Will Allow ‘Erotica’ After Easing Mental Health Restrictions, Sam Altman SaysThe Addiction Economy websitePPC article - OpenAI is staffing up to turn ChatGPT into an ad platformTom Nicholas video - Vape-o-nomics: Why Everything is Addictive NowAI BubbleFast Company article - AI isn’t replacing jobs. AI spending isPivot to AI article - The finance press finally starts talking about the ‘AI bubble’Fortune article - Without data centers, GDP growth was 0.1% in the first half of 2025, Harvard economist saysThe Atlantic article - Just How Bad Would an AI Bubble Be?The New York Times article - Debt Has Entered the A.I. BoomWill Lockett's Newsletter article - AI Pullback Has Officially StartedReuters article - Michael Burry of 'Big Short' fame is closing his hedge fundBusiness Insider article - The guy who shorted Enron has a warning about the AI boomDatacentersBloomberg article - AI Needs So Much Power, It’s Making Yours WorseData Center Watch report - $64 billion of data center projects have been blocked or delayed amid local oppositionMore Perfect Union video - We Found the Hidden Cost of Data Centers. It's in Your Electric BillDataCenter Knowledge article - Why Communities Are Protesting Data Centers – And How the Industry Can RespondFighting BackKnight First Amendment Institute essay - AI as Normal TechnologyPranksters vs. Autocrats chapter - Laughtivism: The Secret IngredientSPSP article - Playing with Power: Humor as Everyday ResistanceBlood in the Machine article - The Luddite Renaissance is in full swing