\n
![](\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1934266410-e1711479798556.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/p>\n [ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n
Not unlike the thousands of cafes that market themselves as having \u201cbest cup of coffee<\/a>\u201d, AI labels are becoming a bit phoned in. And none other than Salesforce<\/a> CEO, Marc Benioff has something to say about it.<\/p>\n This week, Benioff jokingly posted a picture of a Oral-B rechargeable electric toothbrush that was advertised as coming \u201cwith AI\u201d capabilities. \u201c He tweeted<\/a> in response, \u201chow will we know we have hit the top of the AI hype cycle?\u201d It appears as if promises of AI features have become a marketing gimmick to the extent that we\u2019ve blurred the definition of what AI even is.\u00a0<\/p>\n Walmart<\/a> advertises a similar toothbrush to the one Benioff posted for around $135. It boasts likely unnecessary features like six different settings, smartphone connectivity, and a \u201ccustomizable SmartRing with Pressure Control\u201d that tells users when they\u2019re brushing too hard. Software company IBM<\/a> defines AI<\/a> as \u201ctechnology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities.\u201d The case can be made for this being just a fancy toothbrush rather than AI, but it really depends on the consumer\u2019s take. <\/p>\n Of course, companies tend to get carried away when navigating a period of rapid advancements and intense public interest. Last year, generative AI went through a transformation period<\/a>, becoming a hot topic and commodity as investors funneled billions<\/a> into said tools. Theories have since cropped up about AI replacing workers<\/a>, enhancing<\/a> their jobs, upending the world in a sci-fi scenario or fading away<\/a> like the Metaverse. Almost a year later, and we\u2019re at the precipice of AI oversaturation as these tools become more commonplace.<\/p>\n But even with the hype and the label, we\u2019re still at early stages of innovation. \u201cIt\u2019s the euphoria and sense of inevitability in this straightforward narrative that makes me nervous,\u201d Rana Foroohar of the Financial Times<\/em><\/a> says of the idea that AI is set to change everything.\u201cEven if you believe AI will be today\u2019s equivalent of electricity or the internet, we are at the very early stages of a highly complex multi-decade transformation that is by no means a done deal.\u201d<\/p>\n As the creator of Salesforce, Benioff himself has been part of the AI train, calling the development \u201cnot just the most important technology of our lifetime, but probably the most important in any lifetime,\u201d in a 2023 interview with the Associated Press<\/a>. Beninof said that same year<\/a> the wave of AI advances will be the \u201cbiggest that anyone has ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n Since then he\u2019s soured a bit on the industry, going on somewhat of a tangent<\/a> during a sales call this past winter. Lamenting issues of AI stealing data and being inaccurate, he said that \u201cthese models don\u2019t know anything about the company\u2019s customer relationships, and in some cases are just making it up.\u201d His rant ended up leading to Salesforce stock bouncing back after the call was over. Evidently, people are ready to swing back a bit on AI after a season of popularity. Until then, get ready to brush your teeth with a smart toothbrush.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nSubscribe to the Eye on AI newsletter to stay abreast of how AI is shaping the future of business. Sign up<\/a> for free.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n