Is AI The New Cringe?

Gabino Iglesias

Every day on social media, a new trend rises to fame and almost as quickly gets labeled “cringe.” We’ve seen it with Stanley cups, once a coveted lifestyle accessory that symbolized a certain aesthetic, now reduced to a mass-produced item sitting on every desk and gym bench. Labubu keychains followed the same trajectory, quirky collectibles that lost their charm the moment they dangled from every other backpack. Clothing trends change so fast that by the time you buy into one, it’s already passé.

This cycle is predictable: hype builds, everyone wants in, the product becomes ubiquitous, and suddenly what was once aspirational feels ordinary, even embarrassing.

Scarcity creates desire; ubiquity breeds cringe. And now, Artificial Intelligence has joined this cycle. AI had its boom and now every product, whether physical or digital, suddenly had “AI” slapped onto it as a badge of innovation. Brands rushed to launch campaigns, videos, and interfaces branded with AI, as if simply using the word would guarantee impact. There are AI-generated visuals, AI-powered apps, and AI-branded gadgets, all marketed as revolutionary. But history shows that when something becomes too common, it loses its value.

By Jumpstart Magazine

Recently, a professor was even booed for mentioning AI at a graduation ceremony, a reaction rooted in the fear that AI is stealing jobs and driving cost-cutting measures that hurt the younger generation. The irony is that AI itself isn’t the problem but it’s the way people are misusing it. Forcing AI solutions into every corner of life isn’t smart, efficient, or valuable.

Treating AI like a toy, or worse, like Doraemon’s pocket that can magically solve everything, only cheapens its potential. The real opportunity lies in positioning AI thoughtfully: using it to enhance workflows, fill gaps, and accelerate processes in ways that genuinely benefit people. Think of AI in healthcare, where it can reduce diagnostic times without replacing doctors, or in logistics, where it can optimize routes to save fuel and costs. These are examples of AI being used to solve real problems, not just to chase hype.

The problem comes when executives at the top behave like children, believing AI is a shiny gadget that can be plugged in everywhere for instant results. It is not. Even if AI can do everything, it doesn’t mean it should.

Using it in places that fasten workflows, understanding the gaps it can fill, and positioning it in ways that are beneficial to people is smart but using it recklessly, just to look trendy, is not. AI is not a gimmick, it’s a tool, and like any tool, its worth depends entirely on how wisely we choose to wield it. The lesson is simple: technology doesn’t lose value on its own, people strip it of value when they overuse it, misuse it, or fail to respect its purpose.

*And here’s the part we often forget: cringe is not permanent. Trends that feel overexposed today can regain respect tomorrow when they’re applied with authenticity and purpose.*

Vinyl records were once outdated, now they’re treasured. Yoga was once mocked as a fad, now it’s a lifestyle. AI will go through the same cycle. Right now, it feels cringe because it’s everywhere, often used without thought. But when the noise dies down and the hype fades, the true value of AI will be revealed in the quiet places where it genuinely improves lives. The challenge isn’t to avoid AI, but to avoid misusing it. If we treat it with respect, AI won’t be remembered as a cringe trend but instead it will be remembered as a turning point in how we work, create, and live.