{"id":43442,"date":"2026-01-02T08:33:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T14:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/?p=43442"},"modified":"2026-01-02T08:52:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T14:52:32","slug":"use-many-balloons-not-just-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/2026\/01\/02\/use-many-balloons-not-just-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Use Many Balloons, Not Just One"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I don&#8217;t know if the numbers are true, but this can be disturbing:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"bluesky-embed\" data-bluesky-uri=\"at:\/\/did:plc:467zf77jlsf6ao6wut6xduhk\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3max2ci7x2k2g\" data-bluesky-cid=\"bafyreifpyqgo6fl747yzcfkcj7ri6lxcui52ycdihhm2l65wduz55gr6oq\">\n<p lang=\"en\">The AI bubble will pop, and take the economy down with it.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:467zf77jlsf6ao6wut6xduhk?ref_src=embed\">LisaLisa (@lisalisa42.bsky.social)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:467zf77jlsf6ao6wut6xduhk\/post\/3max2ci7x2k2g?ref_src=embed\">2025-12-27T05:13:09.930Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/embed.bsky.app\/static\/embed.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Which makes the numbers for the <em>Trump economy<\/em>, as we label this composite and heterogenuous effort, suspect and opaque. But is it true?<\/p>\n<p>Michelle Singletary tangentially confirms:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wpds-c-PJLV article-body type-text\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"wpds-c-heFNVF wpds-c-heFNVF-iPJLV-css overrideStyles font-copy\" dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"MXMVKF2O7BBHDCR4OTLFJQV3YA\" data-el=\"text\">Nvidia reached its lofty perchas millions of Americans face a\u00a0<a class=\"js-itid-click\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2025\/10\/30\/food-banks-snap-loss-hunger-crisis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cutoff\u00a0<\/a>of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits because of the federal shutdown, fewer workers have pension plans, Social Security is facing a\u00a0<a class=\"js-itid-click\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2025\/10\/24\/social-security-cola-increase-benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">severe shortfall<\/a>, and\u00a0<a class=\"js-itid-click\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2025\/10\/24\/open-enrollment-health-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">health insurance<\/a> has become financially unsustainable for many families.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wpds-c-heFNVF wpds-c-heFNVF-iPJLV-css overrideStyles font-copy\" dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"MXMVKF2O7BBHDCR4OTLFJQV3YA\" data-el=\"text\">Will this latest tech gusher give rise to a lasting era of AI dominance?<\/p>\n<p class=\"wpds-c-heFNVF wpds-c-heFNVF-iPJLV-css overrideStyles font-copy\" dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"MXMVKF2O7BBHDCR4OTLFJQV3YA\" data-el=\"text\">Big Tech\u2019s spending spree on AI is helping <a class=\"js-itid-click\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2025\/10\/30\/google-meta-ai-data-center-spending\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prop up GDP growth<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 even as many AI ventures remain unprofitable. If this boom fizzles, economists warn, the\u00a0<a class=\"js-itid-click\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2025\/09\/30\/ai-economy-investment-bubble\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">entire economy<\/a> would be hit.<em> [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2025\/10\/31\/nvidia-5-trillion-retirement-savings-diversification\/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F4599db8%2F6904e259bfe31479d671d4c9%2F59ee10d9ae7e8a504fd8ecd3%2F30%2F66%2F6904e259bfe31479d671d4c9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>WaPo<\/strong><\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"MXMVKF2O7BBHDCR4OTLFJQV3YA\" data-el=\"text\">And we do have some numbers:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Google chief financial officer Anat Ashkenazi said on an earnings call [in late October] that the company would spend between $91 billion and $93 billion this year on AI, an increase from its previous estimate of $85 billion.<\/p>\n<p>Meta said its AI spending would be at the high end of its previous estimate of $66 billion to $72 billion and \u201cnotably larger\u201d next year, in commentary released with its earnings report Wednesday. Microsoft said in its own report that it also expects its AI spending to grow in 2026, increasing from its anticipated outlay of $80 billion this year.<em> [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2025\/10\/30\/google-meta-ai-data-center-spending\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>WaPo<\/strong><\/a>]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>What does that mean? I mean, besides the suspicion that companies are ludicrously rich?<\/p>\n<div class=\"wpds-c-PJLV article-body type-text\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"wpds-c-heFNVF wpds-c-heFNVF-iPJLV-css overrideStyles font-copy\" dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"LMNQINXXHNDMLL64BVJX2XZUNI\" data-el=\"text\">Recent investments in AI data centers and business spending on AI software dwarf previous tech booms such as the initial investment in internet infrastructure. By translating into more business for not just the tech sector, but also construction, trucking and energy firms, AI investment has delivered an\u00a0<a class=\"js-itid-click\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2025\/08\/04\/big-tech-ai-spending-economy\/\">economic shot in the arm<\/a> that has helped boost U.S. economic growth despite flagging consumer spending and a softening labor market.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"LMNQINXXHNDMLL64BVJX2XZUNI\" data-el=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-43445 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?resize=235%2C313&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"235\" height=\"313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?resize=113%2C150&amp;ssl=1 113w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/PXL_20250721_215119796-scaled.jpg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 235px) 100vw, 235px\" \/><\/a>So if Internet society has a net rejection of generative AI, the crash could be deafening, terrifying for those working in that industry from junior coder to CEO &amp; Chairman, and truly stir the political operatives on the right.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"LMNQINXXHNDMLL64BVJX2XZUNI\" data-el=\"text\">However, for those not falling into any of these classes, such a crash may be more symbolic than tangible, as the intro of generative AI seems segregated from the rest of the economy, or so is my impression.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"null\" data-apitype=\"text\" data-contentid=\"LMNQINXXHNDMLL64BVJX2XZUNI\" data-el=\"text\">The future remains fascinating.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I don&#8217;t know if the numbers are true, but this can be disturbing: The AI bubble will pop, and take the economy down with it. &mdash; LisaLisa (@lisalisa42.bsky.social) 2025-12-27T05:13:09.930Z Which makes the numbers for the Trump economy, as we label this composite and heterogenuous effort, suspect and opaque. But is \u2026 <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/2026\/01\/02\/use-many-balloons-not-just-one\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43442"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43442\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43454,"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43442\/revisions\/43454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huewhite.com\/umb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}