AI & Tech Brief: The “turning point” in the AI economy - The Washington Post

Ah, another 'turning point' — because we hadn't had one in at least a fortnight. The Harvard Business Review Analytics survey, dutifully lapped up by the Washington Post, reveals that businesses are using AI to improve efficiency in back-office operations, not for revenue growth. So after billions in venture capital, breathless AGI prophecies, and enough compute to heat a small nation, we've arrived at the glorious conclusion that AI is this generation's spreadsheet. A 'turning point' indeed — towards the thrilling horizon of slightly cheaper accounts payable.

What the survey won't tell you (but the Post is happy to package as progress) is that 'efficiency' is corporate code for 'fewer humans'. Back-office automation isn't about unlocking new value; it's about doing the same work with fewer warm bodies. The respondents — presumably those still employed — have collectively decided that AI's greatest gift is trimming headcount in payroll and procurement. Revenue growth? Too risky. Let's shrink our way to profitability.

The Washington Post calls this a 'turning point'. More like a gentle pivot into a cul-de-sac. The AI economy, we're told, is maturing: it's now a cost-centre tool, not a growth engine. But sure, if the peak of AI ambition is optimising the supply chain of a mid-tier logistics firm, raise a glass. Just don't expect it to be your job on the line.