Back to Home11/14/2025, 9:36:00 PM

If the AI bubble does burst, taxpayers could end up with the bill

achristmascarl
31 points
10 comments

Mood

skeptical

Sentiment

negative

Category

business

Key topics

AI bubble

taxpayer liability

tech investment

Debate intensity70/100

The article discusses the potential consequences of an AI bubble bursting, with commenters debating whether taxpayers would be left with the bill and questioning the sustainability of current AI investments.

Snapshot generated from the HN discussion

Discussion Activity

Moderate engagement

First comment

52m

Peak period

10

Day 1

Avg / period

10

Comment distribution10 data points

Based on 10 loaded comments

Key moments

  1. 01Story posted

    11/14/2025, 9:36:00 PM

    4d ago

    Step 01
  2. 02First comment

    11/14/2025, 10:27:39 PM

    52m after posting

    Step 02
  3. 03Peak activity

    10 comments in Day 1

    Hottest window of the conversation

    Step 03
  4. 04Latest activity

    11/15/2025, 1:06:36 PM

    3d ago

    Step 04

Generating AI Summary...

Analyzing up to 500 comments to identify key contributors and discussion patterns

Discussion (10 comments)
Showing 10 comments
zippyman55
4d ago
1 reply
It seems we would come to the realization the AI products do not work as well as advertised and the bubble will slowly leak air. This is different from the 2008 liquidity issues that were immediate. I worry about the tax breaks cities, counties, and states gave to the data centers. Long after the hardware is removed from the empty data centers, how long it will take to repurpose the buildings.
simianwords
4d ago
What tax breaks? I’m not aware of any.
simianwords
4d ago
2 replies
How exactly would tax payers end up with the build? Literally everything into the bubble was private capital like SoftBank, Microsoft.

Big players subsidising AI in hopes they can make profit later. Same as with Uber.

So why is it tax payers who would end up with billions? It’s pretty clear that if bubble bursts it is Microsoft, SoftBank etc that would lose the most money.

zippyman55
4d ago
1 reply
Look at sports stadiums. Cities think they need them and cut huge tax breaks for the teams. Then the Oakland/LA/Oakland/Vegas Raiders holds the cities hostage. So, I’m thinking the infrastructure buildout, zoning, water, electricity capacity upgrades, not to mention tax breaks to entice movement to the location are greatly subsidized by taxpayers. I also wonder if after the blowup if the water and power capacity can be bundled and sold similar to the water rights in many parts of Southern California.
simianwords
4d ago
What tax breaks have already been applied?
tim333
3d ago
I can't see a taxpayer bailout of AI companies. However a lot of stock market value that ordinary peoples savings have gone into would evaporate.
whobre
4d ago
When, not if.
bigbadfeline
4d ago
> If the AI bubble does burst, taxpayers could end up with the bill

Um, scientifically speaking, burst or no burst, the general population including the taxpayers will end up with the bill.

hollow-moe
3d ago
s/could/will/
testing22321
4d ago
* in the USA, where socialism is only for the rich.
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ID: 45932474Type: storyLast synced: 11/17/2025, 6:05:22 AM

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