Not long ago, artificial intelligence was being sold as a science-fiction reality, a force that could transform society, cure disease, and remake the economy. Now, the mood is shifting. The companies driving the boom are racing for investment while grappling with a tougher reality: AI is costly, unpredictable, and not yet profitable. Even some of its creators warn progress may be too fast, as public anxiety grows and political resistance takes shape. Is AI now at a tipping point - caught between financial pressure, technological risk and a rising backlash?
