AI demos often sell the sensation of intelligence more convincingly than the substance behind it, and buyers need to learn how to tell the difference before they buy the bottle.
This metaphor hits differently when you're actually allergic to perfume. I don't slow down in that fragrance corridor. I hold my breath and cover my nose to get through it.
Which is probably the more honest response to most AI demos too.
Your piece made me think about Gartner's Hype Cycle. For most GenAI applications we're sitting somewhere between the Peak of Inflated Expectations and the Trough of Disillusionment. Knowing where you are on that curve is the skill that separates good buyers from expensive ones. The "perfume effect" is what inflates the expectations in the first place: a perfectly engineered sensory hit before skepticism boots up.
The real question isn't whether the demo is impressive. It's where you are on the cycle when you evaluate it. Because the deflation is coming either way. The only variable is whether it lands before or after you've signed the contract.
Great piece. Next time, maybe skip the fragrance corridor entirely.
Excellent point - I empathize with anyone who has an allergic reaction or sensitivity. The Hype Cycle is a great source of understanding how long you’ll have to hold your breath!
This metaphor hits differently when you're actually allergic to perfume. I don't slow down in that fragrance corridor. I hold my breath and cover my nose to get through it.
Which is probably the more honest response to most AI demos too.
Your piece made me think about Gartner's Hype Cycle. For most GenAI applications we're sitting somewhere between the Peak of Inflated Expectations and the Trough of Disillusionment. Knowing where you are on that curve is the skill that separates good buyers from expensive ones. The "perfume effect" is what inflates the expectations in the first place: a perfectly engineered sensory hit before skepticism boots up.
The real question isn't whether the demo is impressive. It's where you are on the cycle when you evaluate it. Because the deflation is coming either way. The only variable is whether it lands before or after you've signed the contract.
Great piece. Next time, maybe skip the fragrance corridor entirely.
Excellent point - I empathize with anyone who has an allergic reaction or sensitivity. The Hype Cycle is a great source of understanding how long you’ll have to hold your breath!