**AI Hype Bubble Bursts: Trust and Productivity Concerns Rise**

The initial buzz around AI is fading as skepticism grows. A study in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management reveals that products marketed with AI are less popular, especially high-risk items like electronics and medical devices. Consumers are wary of AI's reliability, leading to decreased trust and purchase intentions.

Workplaces are also disillusioned. An Upwork Research Institute study shows that 77% of AI users report decreased productivity. Only 5% of businesses have used AI recently, according to the US Census Bureau.

Even AI-driven projects like Rune Christensen's MakerDAO have scaled back due to AI's unreliability. Despite AI's potential, its current limitations hinder critical operations, leading to a phase of disillusionment.

However, AI remains cost-effective for simple tasks, and big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta continue to invest heavily, seeing long-term potential. While the AI stock market faces corrections, some view it as a buying opportunity, betting on AI's future role in enhancing productivity.