Deepa Seetharaman, a WSJ reporter specializing in the AI industry, delves into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. She discusses the balancing act between optimism and challenges as the industry gears up for 2025. Key topics include the training data crisis impacting AI development and the competitive landscape as companies vie for leadership. Deepa also highlights anticipated advancements like interactive agents and the evolving ties between tech firms and military strategies in response to national security concerns.
The AI industry is navigating significant challenges in data sourcing, which could hinder the advancement of innovative models by 2025.
As investments in AI soar, the pressure on companies to deliver groundbreaking innovations is intensifying amid a rapidly evolving landscape.
Deep dives
The State of AI Development in 2024
The artificial intelligence industry experienced significant advancements in 2024, showcasing a blend of optimism and challenges. Many new companies emerged with high expectations, but some, like Character AI and Inflection, struggled to maintain their momentum and were ultimately absorbed by larger tech firms like Google and Microsoft. This indicates a shift in the landscape, as the ability to deliver groundbreaking innovation became crucial for survival. As investments in AI continue to pour in, estimated at a trillion dollars over the next five years, the industry must find new ways to astonish users similarly to the initial introduction of ChatGPT.
Challenges and Future of AI Training Data
The shortage of training data has become a pressing concern for AI developers, impacting the evolution of large language models. Companies like OpenAI have already faced delays in updates due to these deficiencies, raising questions about the future viability of AI advancements. The demanding pace of commercial expectations conflicts with the slower, methodical nature of scientific breakthroughs, posing a challenge for researchers to meet corporate timelines. As the field progresses, scrutiny on key players like OpenAI and their competitors will heighten, especially as AI becomes increasingly intertwined with politics and national security.
We’re hearing from our reporters and columnists about some of the biggest companies, trends and people in tech and what could be in store for 2025. Last year saw big developments in artificial intelligence for people and businesses. But AI developers, from startups to big tech companies, are facing new challenges including finding more training data for their models. WSJ reporter Deepa Seetharaman tells host Danny Lewis what this could mean for the science and business of AI in 2025.