Is the AI Bubble on the Verge of Bursting, Potentially Triggering a Stock Market Crash? | Philip Inman

An increasing anxiety surrounds the possibility of a stock market collapse. The rise from minor dips to significant drops casts shadows as the initial excitement surrounding artificial intelligence begins to wane.

In recent weeks, U.S. tech stocks have faced a downward trend, suggesting that a stream of disappointing figures could become commonplace before the end of the month.

We may be looking at a scenario reminiscent of 2000, where the burst of the dot-com bubble could lead to a grim situation.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is among those policymakers responsible for guarding against impending crises. At the annual Jackson Hole meeting with central bank governors in Wyoming, he sought to reassure worried minds.

He expressed that the Fed is concerned about increasing inflation and is prepared to assist the economy in overcoming the uncertainties brought on by Donald Trump’s actions and the global economic slowdown.

With STAGFLATION looming, there’s a genuine threat as the U.S. economy decelerates and inflation rises. Powell has indicated to stock markets that interest rates may decrease, relieving pressure on companies dependent on debt.

The stock market draws Powell’s attention even more than usual, given the extent of U.S. personal pensions invested in publicly traded companies. Specifically, tech stocks are heavily investing in AI, despite not yet achieving a single dollar in profit.

A recent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology uncovered that 95% of companies investing in generative AI have not yet realized financial returns.

This news follows remarks from Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who cautioned that some company valuations appeared “unusual.”

“We are happy to announce Ipek Ozkardeskaya, a senior analyst at the currency trading firm Swissquote,” remarked Ipek Ozkardeskaya. Altman’s comments served as a wake-up call for investors, likely triggering a sharp decline in various high-flying stocks.

Earlier this week, stock values for data mining and surveillance companies with substantial government contracts dropped almost 10%. AI chip manufacturer Nvidia declined by more than 3%, while other AI-related stocks such as ARM, Oracle, and AMD also suffered losses.

Most pension funds are heavily invested in these tech firms, along with established names like Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), and Meta (Facebook).

Should fund managers consider withdrawing? That’s likely not a prudent choice.

The magnitude of investments in AI by companies like Google and Meta is vast, and while the technology’s potential is subject to much speculation, white-collar workers are already seeing expected benefits in their daily tasks.

Daily reports and suggestions for utilizing AI in presentation preparation are commonplace (though they come with the unspoken caveat that job openings remain unaddressed).

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Microsoft Co-Pilot and numerous other “assistance” AI tools are available.

If this trend has already gained momentum across various economic sectors, a soft landing may await the tech industry, despite the elimination of some unstable, speculative enterprises.

In fact, a recession could facilitate large corporations in seizing opportunities from struggling competitors and leveraging new, affordable technological innovations.

The ratio of Palantir’s price to acquisition is over 500. Many investors are anxious even at a 50 ratio. Nvidia’s price to return ratio stands at 56.

As stock prices align with realistic revenue prospects, the Palantir/Nvidia ratio might decline; however, even in the harshest stock market turbulence, companies are unlikely to go bankrupt.

Trump remains a significant proponent, paving the way for AI to delve deeper into corporate operations. His advocacy for cryptocurrencies, along with his support for deregulated social media platforms, reflects his ideological leanings.

AI may pose potential dangers to humanity, given that politicians and regulators lag behind the notable figures and tech giants championing AI.

However, for investors, AI is not an entity that will simply vanish, crash, or evade downfall.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Floods in Alaska caused by glacier dam bursting

The flooding is caused by the retreat of smaller glaciers near Mendenhall Glacier, a result of global warming that creates a basin filled with rain and melting snow each spring and summer. When the water pressure is strong enough, it can seep under or around the ice dams formed by Mendenhall Glacier and flow into Mendenhall Lake and eventually the Mendenhall River.

Since 2011, this phenomenon has also led to flooding of roads and homes near lakes and rivers. Last year’s floods engulfed large areas, causing riverbanks to collapse, homes to be flooded, and at least one house to be submerged in the swiftly moving waters.

Authorities indicated that the extent of this week’s flooding was unprecedented, leaving residents distressed as they attempted to salvage furniture, books, and other possessions in the midst of warm, sunny weather. Debris such as garbage bags, wood, boxes, wet insulation, carpets, and other items were stacked along road curbs on Wednesday. Street sweepers were busy clearing the muddy aftermath left by the receded water.

Eran Hood, an environmental science professor at the University of Alaska Southeast who has spent years studying Mendenhall Glacier, mentioned that while the basin was created by glacier retreat, climate change has minimal impact on the annual fluctuations in flood levels in Juneau.

A family is rescued from flooding on the Mendenhall River in Juneau, Alaska, on August 6.Sean Maguire/Anchorage Daily News via The Associated Press

He expressed, “It’s evident that these floods will persist over several decades, but predicting the size of future floods is challenging without more precise glacier dynamics modeling, due to numerous factors that influence their magnitude.”

Hood mentioned that at some point, Mendenhall Glacier will shrink and become too thin to act as a barrier.

The flooding serves as a stark reminder of the global hazards posed by failures of snow and ice dams, a concept known as jokulhlaup, which is relatively unfamiliar in the United States. Threatening approximately 15 million people around the world.

Residents remove wet drywall and insulation from the first floor of a home after the Mendenhall River flooded in Juneau, Alaska, on August 6.Mark Lester/nchorage Daily News via The Associated Press

Juneau, a city with about 30,000 inhabitants in southeast Alaska, can only be accessed by plane or boat. Despite peak tourist season, the city is currently facing a housing shortage that could limit temporary accommodations for flood victims. Rental car options in Juneau are also limited for those whose vehicles were affected by the flooding.

Authorities reported that the Mendenhall River hit a new record high of 15.99 feet (4.9 meters), approximately a foot higher than last year’s floods, and the water extended further into Mendenhall Canyon. Some homes beyond flood-prone areas were reached by the water, and the canyon is situated about a 15-20 minute drive from downtown Juneau.

Alyssa Fisher shared that she didn’t anticipate flooding in her area when she went to bed on Monday night. However, her father woke her up over FaceTime a few hours later to inform her of rising water levels outside. She moved his car to higher ground, grabbed essential items, and relocated to a local school shelter with her two children, ages 4 and 8, along with their pets. She noticed that the truck’s license plate had been bent by the floodwaters.

Source: www.nbcnews.com