The AI Winters

Lesson goals

• The gap between promises and capability
• Compute and data limits
• Realistic evaluation over hype

Core idea

Why confidence and funding declined, and what the field learned.

1. The gap between promises and capability: understand it in context, identify inputs and outputs, and define how the result will be verified.

2. Compute and data limits: understand it in context, identify inputs and outputs, and define how the result will be verified.

3. Realistic evaluation over hype: understand it in context, identify inputs and outputs, and define how the result will be verified.

Practical example

Consider a real application of “The AI Winters.” Start small, identify available data, and compare the system with a clear baseline before expanding it.

Check your understanding

1. Explain “The AI Winters” in your own words.
2. Give one appropriate and one misleading application.
3. What risk or limitation should be monitored?