大约两年前，当我退休在家的老母亲都能说出"人工智能时代"的时候。我意识到，属于AI的时代是真的到来了。 这当然是令人振奋的时代，新一代技术的光芒普照兴奋的大众，就像互联网、电气、铁路诞生之初曾有过景象。 但如果套用股市里那句略显刻薄却屡被印证的名言：当卖菜阿姨也开始大谈股票术语时，这往往并不是利好的标 志。一如狄更斯在《双城记》开篇所写："这是最好的时代，这是最坏的时代；这是智慧的时代，这是愚蠢的时 代。"用这段150年前的金句形容当下置身巨大AI浪潮之中的我们，依旧如此恰如其分。 无处不在，无所不包的"AI" AI是具有跨时代意义的技术。近几年，人人谈AI、事事必AI。在各类项目方案、规划、汇报里，AI就像"即时 贴"和"创可贴"，遇事不决，"一贴即灵"。 在我经手的项目中，类似的例子并不少见。我曾见过将使用了近十年的自动感应信号灯系统直接更名为"AI智慧交 通系统"；将原本的城市监控摄像头阵列命名为"城市AI大脑"；在会议室安装一块数据可视化大屏，就挂牌"AI智 能指挥中心"。更超出想象的事例还来自一些基层单位的朴素认知，例如App等于AI、编程等于AI、机器人等于 AI、电路设计等于AI，甚至"能插电的 ...

Group 1: AI in Government - The Albanian government has appointed an AI system named Diella as the "Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence," marking the world's first AI in a cabinet-level position [2][3] - Diella was initially introduced as a virtual assistant in January, helping citizens with online public services, and was later tasked with overseeing public procurement processes to eliminate corruption [2][3] - The announcement of Diella being "pregnant" with 83 virtual assistants symbolizes Albania's shift towards integrating AI as a structural participant in government operations [3] Group 2: AI in Marketing and Consumer Products - A Dubai-based studio, mbilia, faced criticism for using AI to create a promotional video for a $3,800 Transformers collectible, which was deemed poorly executed by users [5][9] - Consumers expressed concerns that the use of AI in marketing diminishes the emotional connection between collectors and the products, suggesting that companies prioritize profit over genuine engagement [11] - The rise of AI-generated images in the food delivery industry has led to misleading representations of restaurants, with some businesses using AI to create appealing visuals while hiding poor hygiene and quality [12][19] Group 3: AI in Business Operations - Builder.ai, an AI programming company, was exposed for lacking genuine AI capabilities, relying instead on outdated technology and manual labor, leading to its eventual collapse after raising over $445 million [24][26] - The company's failure highlights the risks associated with "AI washing," where traditional technologies are misrepresented as AI to attract investment, raising concerns about due diligence in AI-related investments [26]

Core Insights - The former CFO of Builder.ai, Andres Elizondo, has been subpoenaed by U.S. prosecutors as part of a fraud investigation related to the company's collapse [2][3] - Builder.ai, once valued at over $1 billion and backed by Microsoft, has faced scrutiny for allegedly inflating sales figures and misrepresenting its AI capabilities [5][6] - The investigation reflects broader concerns about "AI washing" in the startup sector, where companies may exaggerate their use of artificial intelligence to attract investment [7] Company Overview - Builder.ai was founded by Sachin Dev Duggal, who referred to himself as "chief wizard" [4] - The company has been accused of masking traditional engineering work behind marketing claims, relying on a significant number of engineers in India while presenting its services as automated [4] Financial Reporting Issues - Earlier this year, Builder.ai discovered inflated sales figures and subsequently reduced its stated revenue to approximately one-quarter of previous estimates [5] - The investigation is focused on the company's financial reporting and the circumstances leading to its sudden insolvency [3] Industry Implications - The downfall of Builder.ai serves as a cautionary tale for the AI startup boom, highlighting risks associated with hype-driven valuations and exaggerated claims of automation [6] - The incident raises questions about ownership, transparency, and dependency in no-code and low-code systems, particularly when customers lost access to their applications due to the company's infrastructure issues [6]

Core Viewpoint - SuperX AI Technology Limited's shares fell over 24% following a report by J Capital Research, which accused the company of misleading investors about its AI capabilities and engaging in potentially fraudulent activities [1][4][5] Company Overview - SuperX AI Technology Limited was originally founded as an interior design company and has recently rebranded itself as an AI firm focusing on server design and software solutions [2] Allegations and Investigations - J Capital Research's report claims that SuperX AI's AI products are likely digitally altered images with plagiarized specifications, and that recent announcements regarding a $200 million "superfactory" and a "Japanese AI Supply Center" have shown no tangible progress [3][4] - The report suggests that the company's partnerships and acquisitions may involve undisclosed related parties and are described as "empty shells" [4] - Hagens Berman has initiated an investigation into whether SuperX AI misled investors regarding its business and products, focusing on allegations of securities fraud [5][6] Legal and Financial Implications - Hagens Berman is examining serious concerns raised in the J Capital report, including falsified product images and undisclosed related-party transactions, which could lead to accountability for investor losses [6]

Core Insights - Builder.ai, once valued at $1.5 billion and backed by major investors like Microsoft and SoftBank, collapsed in May 2025 due to a massive fraud scheme involving fake AI capabilities and financial misrepresentation [1][19] - The company's marketing claimed to simplify app development using AI, but it was revealed that much of the work was done manually by Indian engineers, undermining the legitimacy of its AI claims [7][11] Company Overview - Founded in 2016 by Sachin Dev Duggal, Builder.ai aimed to revolutionize app development by making it as easy as ordering pizza [2][4] - The company quickly gained traction in the investment community, becoming a prominent player in the no-code and AI space [6][7] Financial Misconduct - In 2024, Builder.ai projected revenues of $220 million, but internal audits revealed actual revenues of only $55 million, leading to a 300% exaggeration of sales figures [13][14] - The company engaged in "round-tripping" with VerSe Innovation to artificially inflate sales data, resulting in significant financial discrepancies [13] Leadership and Operational Issues - Sachin Dev Duggal stepped down as CEO in early 2025, adopting the title "Chief Wizard" as the company faced impending collapse [15] - The new CEO, Manpreet Ratia, discovered that $37 million in company funds were frozen, leaving only $5 million available for operations [16] Market Impact and Lessons - The collapse of Builder.ai serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of "AI washing," where companies falsely claim AI capabilities to attract investment [20] - The incident highlights the dangers of FOMO (fear of missing out) among investors, leading to inadequate due diligence and oversight [20]