Better Offline Monologue: Dealing With The Weight Of History
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Oct 31, 2025 Ed Zitron dives into the frustrations of tech and AI hype, questioning why companies shy away from reporting AI revenues. He reacts to OpenAI's staggering $11.5B loss, calling for transparency as the IPO looms. Rejecting despair, he critiques the tech industry's cycle of unattainable promises and highlights how everyday services are getting worse instead of better. Ed emphasizes the toxic focus on growth over usefulness and encourages finding community amid disillusionment, predicting that GPU spending will ultimately prove wasteful.
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AI Revenue Opacity Harms Accountability
- Ed Zitron observes that big tech repeatedly credits AI for growth without disclosing actual AI revenue figures.
- This lack of transparency makes massive AI spending and claimed growth directionless and suspicious.
Massive Losses Raise Existential Questions
- Ed highlights OpenAI's reported $11.5B loss as evidence the company's economics don't add up.
- He questions what justifies massive capex and planned huge IPO raises if no clear revenue model exists.
Use Frustration To Resist Hype
- Say the phrase that cuts through tech's reverence: "Fuck these people."
- Use that frustration to resist being cowed by grandiose, unsupported promises.