How SME leaders can cut through the hype and put today’s tools to work
The Hype Meets Reality
The AI story has been sold as unstoppable progress: every new release is faster, smarter and edging towards “general intelligence.” But what if that curve is flattening?
What if AI doesn’t get much better than this?
The New Yorker recently explored this idea. For the first time, respected analysts are questioning whether AI is the trillion-dollar revolution its champions promised or simply another powerful but limited tool.
“This is a fifty-billion-dollar market, not a trillion-dollar market,” said Ed Zitron, technology analyst and host of the Better Offline podcast.
Linguistics professor Emily Bender added: “The impacts will depend on how many in the management class fall for the hype… The more this happens, the worse off everyone will be.”
These are voices once dismissed. Nate Silver half-joked that they sounded like “old man yells at cloud” complaints. But the conversation may be shifting.
Why This Matters for SMEs
If AI progress slows, the hype is exposed and businesses that chase it blindly risk wasted effort.
But the real question is different: what if today’s tools are as good as it gets?
For SMEs, the choice is clear:
- Wait for promises of tomorrow.
- Or design strategies today that put AI to work on your terms.
Three Moves for SME Leaders
- Adopt AI purposefully. Use it to save time, improve accuracy or sharpen operations — not just because others are jumping in.
- Focus on outcomes, not hype. Always ask: “Does this tool help me win customers, free up staff or reduce errors?”
- Stay human. AI can crunch data, but only people can build trust, tell compelling stories and create lasting relationships.
The Bottom Line
AI may not be the trillion-pound revolution the headlines promised. But even as a £40-50bn market, it is reshaping how we work. The winners won’t be those who chase hype. They will be SMEs that adopt AI with clarity and intent not as passengers on someone else’s train, but as drivers of their own future.