Contrarians No More: AI Skepticism Is on the Rise

According to Dark Reading, as 31 December 2025 draws near, scepticism about AI has gained momentum amid fears of an AI bubble and disappointing returns on GenAI pilots. The piece notes that threat actors have continued to exploit GenAI platforms, while concerns about adverse workforce effects have fed public scepticism.

It highlights that prominent critics, including Gary Marcus, Jerry Kaplan, Melanie Mitchell and Cory Doctorow, have argued various angles from economics to cognitive capabilities, with Marcus emphasising that the public is not enthusiastic about AI, while industry figures have been accused of overpromising.

The article cites Arkose Labs’ 2025 AI Maturity in Cybersecurity Report showing only about half of surveyed enterprises had realised measurable benefits despite widespread adoption, and it references concerns about high costs and exaggerated threats of AI-driven cyberattacks. It concludes with tempered optimism from some analysts—AI is not dead, but its value depends on well-defined use cases, costs, and careful integration into cybersecurity practice.