People really hate AI, so why can’t they get enough? The CEO of Springboards, a startup building an LLM, says he’s a self-loathing AI company. I guess that makes me a self-loathing AI journalist. But my love for the technology is overshadowed by how it’s warped by hype, steered by zealots, and inescapable. This love/hate attitude is the vibe right now, with public sentiment souring fast but AI use skyrocketing.

Why do people hate AI but keep coming back for more? My theory is that the benefits are too compelling to ignore, despite the downsides. Plus, AI is changing industries, from biology to manufacturing, and we're just scratching the surface of what’s possible.

At EmTech Future 2026, we explored the biggest questions shaping technology, including AI’s impact on infrastructure, manufacturing, and science. The full program is now available on demand, featuring a chat with Google Research’s Yossi Matias and a special panel with MIT Technology Review editors.

Meanwhile, Trump has unveiled a “Super Intelligence Force” to oversee AI. The group will coordinate US AI policy and industry engagement, with Jay Clayton as its leader. But who’s liable when AI agents go rogue? And what about the implications of AI in the battlefield and in the courtroom, where an AI version of a murder victim has upended a killer’s sentence?

Stay up-to-date with the latest in AI by signing up for The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter, and dive into the full EmTech Future 2026 program. The world of technology is changing rapidly, and we’re only at the beginning.