Are you trapped Inside and Outside the AI Bubble?
TL;DR:
AI bubbles shape how industries perceive and adopt AI. Some industries, like medical devices, are in a cautious bubble, wary of risks and intellectual property concerns, leading them to take a “wait-and-see” approach. Others are in a hyper-change bubble, seeing AI as a transformative force, actively investing and embracing rapid change. In between lies the cruising bubble, with companies aware of AI but hesitant to make significant moves yet. Each bubble acts as a hard, transparent shell, creating barriers to communication and strategy. Recognizing your bubble and adjusting your approach is key to effectively navigating AI adoption and its opportunities.
Your Industry’s AI Bubble Limits Your Perspective
Are you living in an AI bubble? Or stuck looking into the bubble? Recently, I was struck by the bubbles all around us—the news bubble, the industry bubble, and, of course, the big AI bubble. This realization hit me when I attended a medical device conference. Living in the AI world every day, I assumed people would be interested in talking about AI and how it could change their industry. Instead, for most of the attendees, AI was nothing more than a curiosity—something they’d heard about in the news but weren’t actively exploring or even thinking about applying to their own work.
It felt like the entire industry was waiting—sitting back and seeing what might happen with AI, as if it were no big deal. They were moving cautiously, almost marching in slow motion, and I understood why. The medical device industry is built on intellectual property and trade secrets, and the sensational stories about AI vacuuming up all the world’s data into massive models made them wary. Concerns about privacy, copyright, and the potential loss of proprietary information were holding them back. So, they were staying put, choosing inaction over risk.
Meanwhile, in my weekly AI developer workshops, the atmosphere couldn’t be more different. Everyone there is living fully within the AI bubble. We see the fantastic changes happening right before our eyes, and we’re actively discussing how to help our clients achieve 20, 30, even 40% productivity improvements. We’re talking about real change—whether it’s expanding sales, reducing costs, or even reshaping entire workflows. For us, the impact is already here, and it’s inevitable.
These two contrasting experiences got me thinking about the bubbles we all live in—how they shape our perception of innovation, and, ultimately, our strategy. Are we embracing the hyper-change AI world, or are we, like the cautious medical device industry, holding back to see what happens next? Understanding which bubble your company is in could be the key to determining your next move in an AI-driven world.
Three AI Bubbles: Cautious, Hyper-Change, and Cruising
So, what does this mean for companies and their approach to AI? There are different types of bubbles, and I’ve come to recognize three distinct ones, each with its own characteristics. First, there’s the cautious bubble—these are the industries that are slow to adopt AI, highly focused on protecting trade secrets, and deeply concerned about regulatory risks. Think of sectors like medical devices or scientific research, where the fear of disruption is almost a part of their DNA.
Next, there’s the hyper-change bubble. These companies see AI as an existential force—something that will transform everything, from individual roles to entire sectors of society. They’re the ones constantly investing in new projects, experimenting with the latest technologies, and pushing the limits of what’s possible. They’re driven by the idea that if they don’t embrace change immediately, they might get left behind.
And then there’s what I like to call the cruising bubble. These companies are neither hyper-changing nor overly cautious—they’re somewhere in between. They’re aware of AI and what it could mean, but they don’t feel an urgent need to jump in just yet. Instead, they’re in “wait-and-see” mode, observing and trying to determine whether the early adopters are onto something or just chasing hype.
AI Bubbles – Are like Transparent Steel Bubbles They Hold us Trapped.
No matter which bubble your company is in, there’s a common issue—they all believe their bubble is the “right” one. This creates a real challenge when communicating with others. Whether you’re talking to employees, investors, or customers, each of these groups is living in their own bubble, and there’s often very little overlap in how they think. If you’re cautious and trying to connect with someone who’s in the hyper-change mindset, that conversation is going to be tough. The same goes for those in the cruising bubble—they often find themselves stuck in no man’s land, uncertain whether to lean toward caution or embrace rapid change.
Understanding this dynamic is crucial. Bubbles may appear transparent, but in reality, they act more like hard, transparent steel shells—creating boundaries that are difficult to break through. To achieve your business goals, you need to be aware of the bubble you’re in and adjust your communication when engaging with someone in a different one. Only then can you bridge the gap and move forward, with or without AI. In the next part of this discussion, we’ll explore how to identify the opportunities and challenges within each bubble and develop strategies to break through these barriers effectively.