Does it feel like news about artificial intelligenceAI Hype is impossible to escape? You’re not imagining it. Across tech blogs, social media, and mainstream news, AI dominates the conversation, signaling that the hype cycle has truly entered overdrive. Recent analysis by Zach Perkel, Principal and Director of Applied AI at enterprise AI firm Fractal, confirms that the current AI momentum is unprecedented.
Tracking AI’s Meteoric Rise
Perkel studied 24,910 posts and articles that reached the top 10 spots on Y Combinator’s Hacker News between January 1, 2019, and August 15, 2025. His goal was simple: quantify the rise of AI-related discussion among one of the tech world’s most informed audiences.
The results are striking. In the first quarter of 2019, just 39 AI-related posts broke into Hacker News’ top 10. By contrast, Q3 2025 only halfway through its calendar period has already seen 337 AI-focused entries reach the same level. In other words, interest in AI has surged roughly tenfold in just over six years.
It’s not merely a matter of increased accessibility or awareness. The conversation has accelerated dramatically in a relatively short timeframe, underscoring the profound impact AI tools have had on both tech insiders and the broader public discourse.
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The ChatGPT Effect
A critical inflection point in AI’s hype trajectory aligns with the public release of ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. Perkel’s data shows that AI interest jumped sharply from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023.
- Q4 2022: 89 AI-related stories in the top 10
- Q1 2023: 174 AI-related stories
This spike marked the moment when AI moved from largely academic or niche applications into mainstream consciousness. ChatGPT, as a publicly accessible and highly interactive tool, became the primary interface through which many people first experienced AI capabilities.
Yet, according to Perkel’s analysis, the growth between Q2 2025 and Q3 2025 is set to surpass even the ChatGPT-era surge. If this trend continues, the current period may represent the largest spike of AI interest in history.
The Hacker News Lens
Hacker News is a platform for tech-savvy readers and early adopters. Its top stories tend to reflect thoughtful engagement rather than fleeting social media trends. That makes the prominence of AI posts particularly significant: it is not just a casual fascination, but a sustained, serious conversation among industry insiders.
Sentiment analysis of these posts reveals another layer of insight. Perkel notes that the current quarter has the highest percentage of negative AI posts since ChatGPT’s release, with 42% of top articles expressing concern, skepticism, or criticism.
This marks a notable shift from earlier in 2025, when negative posts made up only 27% of AI-related top stories in Q1 and 36% in Q2. The upward trend suggests a growing awareness of AI’s potential risks, ethical dilemmas, and societal implications, even as enthusiasm continues to rise.
The AI Bubble and Vibe Shift
There is growing speculation that the AI sector may be entering a bubble phase. OpenAI alone is rumored to approach a $500 billion valuation, prompting comparisons to previous tech booms. Yet beyond financial metrics, Perkel’s data indicates a vibe shift in how AI is perceived.
Where enthusiasm once dominated, concern now occupies a larger share of discourse. This duality—unprecedented interest coupled with increasing skepticism reflects a maturing conversation about AI, one that balances excitement with caution.
Implications for Tech and Society
The rapid escalation of AI discussions has several implications:
- Innovation Acceleration: The heightened attention drives funding, research, and development at an unprecedented pace. AI tools are evolving faster than ever, reshaping industries from software to healthcare.
- Regulatory Scrutiny: Growing criticism, as reflected in Hacker News posts, foreshadows increased scrutiny from governments and regulators. Ethical, privacy, and safety concerns are likely to gain more weight in policy debates.
- Public Perception: The spike in negative sentiment suggests that users are becoming more discerning, weighing AI’s promise against potential drawbacks such as job displacement, misinformation, and algorithmic bias.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is AI suddenly everywhere in the news?
The surge in AI coverage is driven by both technological breakthroughs and widespread adoption. Tools like ChatGPT, generative AI models, and AI-powered applications have captured public imagination and transformed how industries operate. Platforms like Hacker News reflect this surge, showing exponential growth in AI-related top stories since 2019.
What does the “AI hype cycle” mean?
The AI hype cycle refers to the pattern of increasing attention, excitement, and eventual disillusionment surrounding AI technologies. It begins with innovation, spikes with media and public interest, and eventually stabilizes as adoption matures and limitations become clear.
What caused the largest spike in AI interest?
The public release of ChatGPT in late 2022 marked the first major spike. The tool made AI accessible and interactive, transforming public perception from theoretical or niche technology to practical, everyday tool. According to Hacker News data, the growth between Q2 and Q3 2025 may surpass even that surge.
Are people optimistic or skeptical about AI?
Both. Early enthusiasm was largely positive, but recent sentiment analysis shows growing skepticism. In Q3 2025, 42% of AI-related top posts on Hacker News expressed concerns, including ethical implications, misuse, and societal impact. This indicates a maturing conversation around the risks and responsibilities of AI.
Is there an AI bubble?
Some analysts suggest that AI may be approaching a bubble, driven by skyrocketing valuations and investment hype. For example, OpenAI’s estimated valuation nears $500 billion. However, whether this bubble will burst or stabilize depends on innovation, regulation, and adoption trends.
Why is Hacker News a relevant source for AI trends?
Hacker News is widely regarded as a platform for tech-savvy audiences, including developers, entrepreneurs, and industry insiders. Its top stories reflect thoughtful engagement rather than casual media coverage, making it a strong indicator of industry sentiment and emerging trends.
What does this mean for businesses and society?
The AI hype cycle signals both opportunities and challenges. Businesses can leverage AI for innovation and efficiency, but must also address ethical concerns, privacy issues, and workforce impacts. Society as a whole faces decisions about regulation, transparency, and responsible AI adoption.
Conclusion
AI is no longer a niche topic confined to research labs. From early 2019’s modest interest to the current surge in 2025, the technology has transformed public discourse and captured the collective imagination of tech insiders and mainstream audiences alike.
The combination of exponential growth in AI-related content, heightened critical discussion, and record-breaking engagement indicates that we are living through a unique moment in tech history. Whether this marks the peak of the AI hype cycle—or merely a prelude to even more intense discussion—remains to be seen. What is clear is that AI is now central to conversations about innovation, ethics, and the future of technology.
