Founders making glib comments about AI likely ending the world, even in jest, creates genuine fear and opposition among the public. This humor backfires, as people facing job automation and rising energy costs question why society is pursuing this technology at all, fueling calls to halt progress.

Unlike previous technologies like the internet or smartphones, which enjoyed years of positive perception before scrutiny, the AI industry immediately faced a PR crisis of its own making. Leaders' early and persistent "AI will kill everyone" narratives, often to attract capital, have framed the public conversation around fear from day one.

The massive energy demand from AI data centers is causing electricity bills for average Americans to rise significantly. This is fostering a growing public backlash against the technology, regardless of personal use, as evidenced by widespread negative sentiment on social media.

AI is experiencing a political backlash from day one, unlike social media's long "honeymoon" period. This is largely self-inflicted, as industry leaders like Sam Altman have used apocalyptic, "it might kill everyone" rhetoric as a marketing tool, creating widespread fear before the benefits are fully realized.

Influencers from opposite ends of the political spectrum are finding common ground in their warnings about AI's potential to destroy jobs and creative fields. This unusual consensus suggests AI is becoming a powerful, non-traditional wedge issue that could reshape political alliances and public discourse.

The speaker forecasts that 2026 will be the year public sentiment turns against artificial intelligence. This shift will move beyond policy debates to create social friction, where working in AI could attract negative personal judgment.

Unlike the early internet era led by new faces, the AI revolution is being pushed by the same leaders who oversaw social media's societal failures. This history of broken promises and eroded trust means the public is inherently skeptical of their new, grand claims about AI.

Despite broad, bipartisan public opposition to AI due to fears of job loss and misinformation, corporations and investors are rushing to adopt it. This push is not fueled by consumer demand but by a 'FOMO-driven gold rush' for profits, creating a dangerous disconnect between the technology's backers and the society it impacts.

By openly discussing AI-driven unemployment, tech leaders have made their industry the default scapegoat. If unemployment rises for any reason, even a normal recession, AI will be blamed, triggering severe political and social backlash because leaders have effectively "confessed to the crime" ahead of time.