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Comment by ares623 | Hacker News Reader

It’s a bit cheating though particularly for Gemini. It’s been inserted into something that already had high usage numbers.

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I don’t think that’s right, and it’s telling that this is the response every time I mention these numbers. The numbers I’ve seen are Gemini web and mobile app users, which are explicitly distinguished from AI summaries and AI mode in search.

“Google said in October that the Gemini app’s monthly active users swelled to 650 million from 350 million in March. AI Overviews, which uses generative AI to summarize answers to queries, has 2 billion monthly users.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/20/josh-woodward-google-gemini-...

It might help you get there faster, but a billion users is still a billion users. Clearly they all find some value in it.

Again, cheating. There's no off button for the damn things.

how about this one: https://www.levels.fyi/2025/

AI/ML Is Now Core Engineering From niche specialty to one of the largest and highest-paid SWE tracks in 2025

off button or not, money in the bank (pay special attention to highest-paid part… ;) )

No amount of TC is gonna insulate these IC’s that their beloved AI future is promised to bring.

the future is already here

Everyone knows there's big money in AI right now, what people are skeptical on is how based in reality that is. Personally, I think there's little plans for profitability and this is all going to come crashing down sooner or later. Same reason I don't care much for MAU.

while you and bunch of other people are waiting for this “reality” and “crash” to come the rest of us are building amazing shit in the present (actual) reality :)

Amazing shit that is currently making negative money, but might someday not.

That's the thing - taking a risky investment isn't free. If you choose wrong, then you're worse than if you did nothing at all. Think about that. Depending on what it is, there's lazy people sitting with their thumb up their ass who will outpace you.

Now, I'm not saying that AI is worthless and everyone building their business on AI is stupid. But I am saying it's a speculative investment, so treat it like that. Diversify, lower the blast radius. You don't want to be one of those suckers who bet it all on red.

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