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Technical GlossaryAI Fundamentals

AI Winter

Periods when interest and investment in AI dropped sharply due to the gap between expectations and technical reality.

AI Winter is a concept that must be understood to properly grasp AI history. During these periods, expectations around AI rose sharply, but the available technical capability, data, computing power, or commercial success failed to meet them. As a result, funding declined, research slowed, and trust in the field was temporarily damaged. This is not merely a historical concept; even today, exaggerated promises, poor positioning, and low institutional readiness can create similar disappointment. In that sense, AI Winter is not just a past decline, but a lesson in strategic realism.