Gary Marcus: Leopold's Folly and the Speculative Bubble in Generative AI

GaryMarcus · x · 2026-08-21

Gary Marcus publishes a longread drawing parallels between the generative AI industry and check-kiting scams. He argues that while not outright fraud, the industry exhibits circular financing and highly speculative elements, with questionable ability to repay massive debts. Marcus suggests that Aschenbrenner's actions symbolize an era of potentially overblown profit expectations and ignored structural risks.

Related event: Gary Marcus Calls Generative AI Investment a 'Check-Kiting' Scheme(2 posts)→

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