Making AI Mundane—And Why That’s a Good Thing

The End of the AI Hype Era?

Artificial intelligence has long been wrapped in mystique—marketed as magical, menacing, or mind-blowingly advanced. But as everyday tools like Gmail autocomplete and Spotify recommendations quietly rely on AI, it’s becoming just another layer of tech infrastructure. MIT Technology Review argues it’s time to drop the inflated rhetoric and start treating AI like we treat electricity or the internet—essential, yet unremarkable. That shift could bring more realistic expectations, better design choices, and more responsible deployment.

Normalization is Power

Thinking of AI as “normal” doesn’t minimize its capabilities—it democratizes them. When people stop seeing AI systems as enigmatic black boxes and start recognizing them as tools, the conversation shifts from fear to function. This mindset can lead to clearer regulations, more inclusive development, and healthier public discourse. It also helps us stop looking for AI to replicate human magic and focus on where it adds real, measurable value.