What should we do when the "AI" bubble pops? Emily and Alex are joined by researcher Matt Scherer, who recently published a report called ["No Bailout for Big Tech Billionaires: Policies for when the AI bubble bursts."](https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications/no-bailouts-for-big-tech-billionaires-policies-for-when-the-ai-bubble-bursts) They unpack what the boosters are saying about their finances, and how we can all push back against arguments for a government bailout. [Matt Scherer](https://bsky.app/profile/matthewus.bsky.social) is a fellow at the anti-monopoly think tank [Open Markets Institute](https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/). He previously led the workers' rights project at the Center for Democracy & Technology. *References:* - Forbes: ["AI Can Change The World And Still Be A Bubble"](https://web.archive.org/web/20260526141008/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesbroughel/2026/05/26/ai-can-change-the-world-and-still-be-a-bubble/) - Also referenced: [Is AI Profitable Yet?](https://isaiprofitable.com/) - CNBC: ["Altman says some investors will be left 'very burnt'"](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/18/altman-ai-bubble-openai.html) - CNBC: ["Bezos brushes off concerns of an AI bubble: 'You shouldn’t worry about it'](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/20/bezos-ai-bubble-concerns-amazon-prometheum-blue-origin.html) *Fresh AI Hell:* - [Empty Waymos create self-driving traffic jam](https://bsky.app/profile/phillewis.bsky.social/post/3mluagy7stk2e) - ["AA digital sponsor"](https://bsky.app/profile/anamariecox.com/post/3mlye5yjjis2a) - [Stanford researchers claim "AI agents...embrace Marxist ideologies"](https://archive.is/bjVcm) - ["Chatbots at the drive-thru"](https://bsky.app/profile/wolven.blacksky.app/post/3mm56godh5c2t) - [YouGov polling on automated juries](https://bsky.app/profile/magidin.bsky.social/post/3mmepxzpklc2v) - Chaser: [Erin Brockovich is on the case!](https://brockovichdatacenter.com/) - [AI Startup Says It Will Pay People $2,000 a Month to Masturbate](https://decrypt.co/368866/ai-startup-pay-people-2000-month-masturbate) - Chaser: [You used which brush!?](https://bsky.app/profile/anthonymoser.com/post/3mj4ccqwu7k23) Check out future streams on [Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/dair_institute). Meanwhile, [send us any AI Hell you see](https://thecon.ai/submit-fresh-ai-hell/). Find our book *The AI Con* [here](https://thecon.ai/), and MAIHT3k merch [here](https://store.dair-institute.org/category/mystery-ai-hype-theater-series). Subscribe to our newsletter [via Buttondown](https://buttondown.com/maiht3k). Follow Emily: [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/emilymbender.bsky.social)/[Mastodon](https://dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender) Follow Alex: [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/alexhanna.bsky.social)/[Mastodon](https://dair-community.social/@alex) Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by [Naomi Pleasure-Park](https://naomipleasurepark.com/). Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.