Dev.to
6/18/2026

Here is my wild take:AI Is Scary, But Not Because It’s Smart
Short summary
AI isn't scary because of its technological capabilities, but because it arrived in a world already fragile from COVID disruption and corporate layoffs. The author argues AI marketing has weaponized demographic-specific fears—job replacement threats for older workers, FOMO and urgency for youth—strategically selling survival subscriptions rather than productivity tools.
- •AI marketing exploits fragile post-pandemic psychology, not actual technological threat
- •Different demographics receive tailored fear narratives: job loss for workers, FOMO for youth
- •Fear-based positioning has become the core sales strategy, not capability discussion
Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.
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