The End of AI’s “Hot Girl Summer”

AI1L
Sep 22
2 min read

Every transformation has its ebbs and flows.

Excitement, Hype, Overhype, then the sobering reality begins.

We’re in a weird place with AI.

We're now past the 'rushing to adopt anything AI', and settling for quick and superficial wins.

Now, as CEOs, we want to dig beneath the surface.

The mood has shifted. The party's over.

So, where do we go from here?

What This Moment Really Means:

The Hype Bubble Has Popped (Again)- Every tech wave has its crash after the buzz. AI isn’t dead, but the easy wins are drying up. The focus has to pivot from PR and vanity projects to proving ROAI (Return on AI). Without a clear path to value, these initiatives are just expensive science experiments.

AI Fatigue Is Real- CEOs tell me, "We’re tired of hearing about AI." They're not wrong. This isn't just fatigue; it’s a direct result of a lack of clear strategy. When there's no visible return on investment, AI quickly becomes another costly distraction. The pressure to "do something with AI" has led to a lot of motion without any real movement.

Culture Beats Tool- You can have the best model in the world, but if your team doesn't know how to use it, it’s useless. The most powerful AI isn’t a model; it's a team that's equipped and incentivized to use it effectively.

It's Time to Get Real

Stop treating AI like a toy. It’s not about playing with prompts. It’s about redesigning business processes.
Kill the vanity projects. If your AI use case doesn’t tie directly to revenue, efficiency, or risk reduction, it’s a distraction.
Invest in adoption, not just technology. You can have the best model in the world, but if your team doesn't know how to use it, it's useless. Investing in adoption, training, incentives, and integration—is more important than the tech itself.

The Next Phase of AI

AI's era of 'hot girl summer' is over. The next phase is about going deeper, redesigning core business processes, and embedding AI where it truly matters. Anything else is a distraction, not an innovation.

Ready to build a strategy that delivers real business value, not just hype?

Learn more about how to create an AI-first culture that succeeds.

Visit aifirstleadership.com to get started.