'AI washing': firms are scrambling to rebrand themselves as tech-focused - The Guardian
PushButton AI Team ·
'AI washing': firms are scrambling to rebrand themselves as tech-focused - The Guardian
That AI tool your competitor is raving about? There's a decent chance it's just a spreadsheet with a chatbot painted over it.
"AI washing" is now officially a PR strategy. Companies are paying consul
That AI tool your competitor is raving about? There's a decent chance it's just a spreadsheet with a chatbot painted over it.
"AI washing" is now officially a PR strategy. Companies are paying consultants to rebrand basic automation as artificial intelligence. Which means the confusing AI landscape just got more confusing — on purpose.
If you bought a tool nobody uses, you're not the problem. The industry made it nearly impossible to tell real from fake. Smart business owners are getting played by marketing budgets, not technology.
Here's the shift that changes everything: stop evaluating AI by what vendors call it. Start asking one question instead — "What specific task does this replace, and how long does that task take my team today?" If they can't answer that in plain English, walk away.
That one filter alone will save you from 80% of the noise. No coding. No system overhaul. Just a better question before the next demo call.
You already know how to run a business. You just need a cleaner way to cut through the hype — and that starts with demanding proof over promises.
What's one AI tool you've been pitched recently that felt more like marketing than actual capability?
