Artificial intelligence (AI) has been promoted as a transformational technology—promising efficiency, new discoveries, and a more productive economy. But recent research and real-world results suggest a more complicated picture: many AI systems underperform outside controlled tests, companies are announcing layoffs tied to automation, and some researchers argue that the current large-language-model approach may be a dead end.

At the same time, concerns are growing about the moral risks of AI, the impact on jobs and human judgment, and whether financial markets have inflated an “AI bubble” detached from actual results.

We invite your view on what should happen next. The results will be featured in an article published this Saturday.