推动经济增长的不是AI,而是信仰
Hu Xiu·2025-09-15 12:24

Core Insights - AI is recognized as a new general-purpose technology (GPT) that has the potential to drive economic growth, but it requires significant time to impact productivity meaningfully [1][4][5] - Despite the ongoing AI revolution, productivity growth has not accelerated significantly, with the EU's hourly labor productivity declining by 0.6% in 2023 and only expected to grow by 0.4% in 2024 [4][5] - The adoption rate of AI in enterprises remains low, with the EU's average at 13.5% and the US at 9.2%, indicating that AI has not yet permeated traditional industries that need productivity improvements [8][10] - Investment in AI is increasing, with major tech companies allocating a significant portion of their revenue to capital expenditures, which is contributing to GDP growth despite low profitability in AI model firms [10][14] - The belief in AI's potential is driving economic growth more than the actual productivity gains from AI at this stage [18] Group 1: AI as a General-Purpose Technology - AI is characterized by continuous improvement, broad applicability, and complementary innovations, similar to historical GPTs like the steam engine and computer [1][4] - Historical data shows that it took decades for previous GPTs to significantly enhance productivity after their invention and commercialization [1][3] Group 2: Current Productivity Trends - The average labor productivity growth in the US since 2020 is 1.8%, below the long-term average of 2.2%, with future projections for AI's contribution to productivity growth being modest [5][4] - The EU's productivity growth from 1995 to 2019 averaged 1%, contrasting sharply with current projections [4] Group 3: AI Adoption Rates - AI adoption rates vary widely, with the EU ranging from 3.1% to 27.6% and the US at 9.2%, indicating that enterprise applications of AI are still in early stages [8][10] - The shift in value from chips and data to model providers is noted, but traditional industries have yet to see significant improvements in productivity [10] Group 4: Investment Trends - Major internet companies in the US and China are significantly increasing their capital expenditures, with the US companies averaging 27.4% of revenue and Chinese BAT averaging 12.5% [10][12] - AI data center spending is projected to contribute more to GDP growth than consumer spending for the first time, highlighting the shift in investment focus [14][17] Group 5: Future Perspectives on AI and Fusion Energy - The belief in AI's transformative potential is compared to historical expectations surrounding nuclear energy, with significant investments being made in both fields [18][19] - Nuclear fusion companies have raised substantial funding, indicating a growing interest in alternative energy solutions alongside AI advancements [25][26]