Flying Car Syndrome
When ChatGPT launched, it was like striking a match in a methane field—it caught fire instantly and spread everywhere.
People were using it in ways that even the creators hadn’t foreseen.
Suddenly, AI was at the top of every mind. The hype train was running at full speed.
But as with any tech trend that catches flickers, the critics quickly jumped in.
As they should!
And, while many of their criticisms are valid…
There’s one argument - the most popular one - that tends to pop up in every conversation: Product market fit.
“Where’s the product-market fit!” they say. “Look at OpenAI's slow rollout of apps! Look at Google and Microsoft throwing AI into everything with no clear plan!”
From the outside looking in, the answer to this particular question isn’t always clear.
So, in their minds, the inevitable conclusion: AI is just hype. Snake oil. A scam.
Let’s examine that argument from a new angle.
Let’s take the flying car.
Flying Car Syndrome
In his book Where's My Flying Car?, J. Storrs Hall digs into the disappointment that many people feel when futuristic promises of jetpacks, robot maids, and yes—flying cars—fail to materialize.
Many of us remember watching "The Jetsons," imagining a future where tech wonders would be part of our everyday lives by now.
But instead of soaring through the skies in personal aircraft, we’re still stuck in traffic, and the appliances in our kitchens don’t have much more personality than a toaster.
This unmet expectation has led to Flying Car Syndrome: the phenomenon where people dismiss emerging technology as hype or a scam simply because it doesn’t deliver sci-fi returns virtually overnight.
Similarly, Amara’s Law says we almost always expect too much transformation from breakthrough tech in the short-term and expect too little in the long run.
To be clear, that’s not to say progress couldn’t be happening faster.
But multiple things can be true at once:
A] We are in the midst of a technological renaissance, witnessing breakthroughs that are quietly reshaping industries.
B] We are experiencing Flying Car Syndrome, a la Amara’s Law…
C] Meanwhile, monetary and public policies are diverting resources into inefficient sectors, causing instability and hindering the progress that would otherwise accelerate robot maids and flying cars.
Yes, Critics Are Right
Critics have a point—to a certain degree.
Consumer-facing products still feel more like a showcase of possibility, rather than a focused effort to meet specific market demands.
OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft were quick to demonstrate the sheer power of their models, but they’re slower to develop clear, user-focused products.
From a traditional product-market fit perspective, this can be seen as a misstep.
BUT… they’re missing the bigger picture.
One, innovation rarely follows a linear path. The early, open-ended approach, especially for consumer-facing products, is common.
Two, breakthrough tech rarely begins with mind-blowing consumer apps.
Take the internet, for example.
Before it revolutionized everyday life with the WWWs and the .coms, it was quietly transforming communication in research institutions and government agencies.
Same goes for GPS.
It was used in industry - military, aviation, scientific research, emergency services, and more - long before it became a *must-have* for drivers and app developers.
Railroads were for commerce long before they became a form of transportation for the public. Electricity didn’t start out as a household staple. It was industrial. It was telegrams. It was streetlights. Then, it came inside the homes.
AI is following a similar path.
While flashy consumer apps may be slow to materialize, AI is already showing signs of transforming industries like agriculture, logistics, and energy behind the scenes.
The quiet revolutions happening in these sectors are laying the groundwork for the consumer breakthroughs that will come later.
We’re still early in the AI boom.
Some critics assume that AI success needs to be loud and visible—immediate consumer impact, flashy apps, and viral features.
But the real AI revolution is happening behind the scenes, in industries where backend processes are being transformed in ways that consumers never see.
Here's the best part: This quiet revolution represents a massive investment opportunity.
(More tomorrow.)
