Press is only half of the picture. The other half is investors being attracted to AI like moths to a flame.
And then there's the feedback loop. Media keeps telling that "AI" is going to change the future (for better or worse), which makes it seem important. This creates a fertile ground for investors to make money (whether because they believe a product will be revolutionary, or that they can sell it to a greater fool before it blows up). Resulting influx of money incentivizes everyone to try and attach "AI" to anything they can, no matter how hare-brained it is, in order to capture some of that money. Then the media notices all these new companies and report on how AI will change everything, for better or worse. Lather, rinse, repeat.
And then there's the feedback loop. Media keeps telling that "AI" is going to change the future (for better or worse), which makes it seem important. This creates a fertile ground for investors to make money (whether because they believe a product will be revolutionary, or that they can sell it to a greater fool before it blows up). Resulting influx of money incentivizes everyone to try and attach "AI" to anything they can, no matter how hare-brained it is, in order to capture some of that money. Then the media notices all these new companies and report on how AI will change everything, for better or worse. Lather, rinse, repeat.