Navigating the AI Hype: Why AI Snake Oil is Crucial for Interpreting Advancements and Inherent Limitations

Abstract

In AI Snake Oil, authors Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor debunk AI hype with a cautious, informed perspective, equipping readers to do the same. As renowned computer scientists and TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, they bring both expertise and clarity to a wide audience—including general readers, technical professionals, and policymakers. Using examples from spell-check to self-driving cars, they demonstrate how the definition of AI constantly shifts with new advancements. The authors address widespread misconceptions by providing tools to identify inflated claims and understand the limitations of both predictive and generative AI. By demystifying the technology, they offer a grounded and accessible guide to what AI can—and cannot—do.