Ask HN: Why is everything an AI now?

Over the past few years, it feels like every product or service is "powered by AI." From apps that organize your groceries to toothbrushes that analyze your brushing habits, AI seems to be the go-to label for anything remotely techy.

But here's the thing, most of these problems have already been solved (or could be solved) by much simpler programs.

Do we really need AI to suggest what’s next in our to-do list? Often, it’s just a rules-based system or a straightforward algorithm in disguise, but marketing it as AI sounds fancier.

Sure, AI is transformative in industries like healthcare, climate modeling, and finance, but slapping "AI" onto basic solutions feels like a shortcut to attention or consumer intrigue. The line between innovation and overhype is getting blurry.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are we devaluing AI by overusing it for trivial problems, or is this just part of its integration into mainstream tech?