"We Will Create God and Then Ask It for Money."
A Bloomberg columnist accidentally wrote the best summary of the AI bubble ever put to paper. A former Pentagon advisor explains why it's not actually funny.
Baltimore, MD, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sometimes a single sentence explains an entire market better than a lengthy financial report.
Financial researcher Jim Rickards points to one from Bloomberg columnist Matt Levine.
Describing the business model behind today's largest AI companies, Levine joked:
"We will create God and then ask it for money."
In a new free presentation, Rickards uses the quote as a starting point for a broader discussion about the assumptions embedded in today's AI valuations and why he believes investors should watch July 29th closely.
The Line
Levine's comment was intended as satire.
His point was that many AI valuations appear to assume that extraordinary technological breakthroughs will eventually arrive and produce extraordinary profits.
The quote has resonated because it captures a belief shared by many investors: that future AI capabilities will justify today's massive spending and valuations.
Rickards argues that the line is memorable because it highlights the central question facing the market.
How much of today's AI trade depends on future breakthroughs that have not yet occurred?
The Serious Question Underneath
According to Rickards, the AI boom rests on several important assumptions.
That processing power will continue improving.
That AI models will become significantly more capable.
That demand for AI products will continue expanding rapidly.
And that future revenues will justify today's infrastructure spending.
He notes that an increasing number of researchers, economists, and investors have begun questioning whether those assumptions are as certain as markets currently imply.
The debate is no longer about whether AI matters.
The debate is increasingly about timelines, profitability, and the pace of future progress.
Why It Matters to You
Rickards exposes the underlying expectations supporting many AI valuations.
For investors, the important question becomes whether future growth unfolds at the pace current prices appear to assume.
Rickards argues that July 29th may provide a meaningful real-world test of those expectations as several major AI companies release earnings reports, update investors on growth projections, discuss spending plans, and provide guidance regarding future demand.
Those updates may help investors determine whether reality continues matching expectations.
His presentation examines that question in greater detail and explores why he believes many investors may be underestimating its importance.
About the Presentation
Jim Rickards lays out his full analysis and the steps he believes investors should weigh, in a free presentation now available to view. Click HERE to watch.
About Jim Rickards and Paradigm Press
Jim Rickards has advised the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the White House, and the Department of Defense across five decades in government and finance. He later built financial threat-detection systems for the CIA and designed the Pentagon’s first financial war games. In 2007, he delivered formal testimony to the U.S. Treasury warning of the conditions that led to the 2008 financial crisis.
Paradigm Press is one of the most widely read independent financial research publishers in the United States, rated 4.8 stars on Google across more than 1,900 reviews. Free from advertiser influence, Paradigm Press is committed to helping everyday Americans understand the forces shaping their wealth.
Derek Warren Public Relations Manager Paradigm Press Group Email: dwarren@paradigmpressgroup.com
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
