AI vaporware: 7 products that didn't materialize in 2024
Dec 31, 2024 - fastcompany.com
The article discusses the phenomenon of "vaporware" in the AI industry, where companies announce advancements that are not ready for release. It highlights two major examples: Amazon's generative AI overhaul for Alexa and OpenAI's GPT-5. Amazon's promised smarter Alexa, announced in September 2023, aimed to enhance conversational abilities and understand nonverbal cues. However, as of late 2024, the project is delayed due to negative feedback from beta testers and technical issues, with a new target launch in 2025.
Similarly, OpenAI's GPT-5 was anticipated to release in 2024, but CEO Sam Altman indicated that more work was needed, and the model did not launch as expected. Instead, OpenAI released GPT-o1, which processes queries more thoroughly but is slower and more expensive. These examples illustrate the challenges and delays in delivering AI advancements, making it difficult to separate hype from reality in the industry.
Key takeaways:
AI companies often announce advancements that are not ready to ship, a practice known as "vaporware."
Amazon's generative AI overhaul for Alexa, announced in 2023, has faced delays and issues, with a new launch targeted for 2025.
OpenAI's GPT-5 was anticipated in 2024, but development is ongoing, and the release has been delayed.
OpenAI released GPT-o1, which processes queries more thoroughly but is slower and more expensive than previous models.
