The AI Effect

The AI Effect describes how once a task is successfully automated by artificial intelligence, people often stop calling it AI and see it as normal or routine. For example, when voice assistants like Siri or Alexa first appeared, they were considered cutting-edge AI. But now, as such systems become common, many no longer see them as “true AI,” viewing them instead as standard technology. This shifting perception causes AI to be seen as innovative only until it becomes mainstream, making it harder to recognize what true AI progress looks like over time.