AI, the abbreviation of Artificial Intelligence, has been the most hotly debated and fastest-growing technology sector of 2023. More than that, the opaque subject has managed to break out of scientific circles and into mainstream media. Despite little understanding of the technology itself, everybody knows what it is, and every company needs it to secure investment. Very few technological advancements see this level of pop culture frenzy, and that’s reflected in the latest addition to the Collins Dictionary.
AI becomes Collins Word of the Year 2023
The single most popular word of 2023 is AI. Or, at least, the most popular phrase yet to be added to the Collins Dictionary.
The dictionary publisher acknowledges the rapid development of AI innovation, which correlates to its search frequency online. Artificial intelligence clearly represents the next great technological revolution, as is being discussed by UK Prime Minister RIshi Sunak at the AI Safety Summit today in Bletchley Park, UK — The very site where the enigma code was broken during World War II. The historical site has long been a key part of the profound impact of artificial intelligence, a history that continues to be written with the AI Executive Order issued only two days prior at the US White House. It is thanks to scientists worldwide, including our own AI correspondent Dr Matthew Shardlow, that research on the power of algorithms and computer programs has lead us to this point, with AI trouncing every other entrant onto the Collins corpus.
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Most popular words of 2023
Notable runner-ups for Word of the Year include:
- Greedflation: The practice of businesses inflating their own prices to combat wider economic inflation. As a result of money having lower purchasing power, and products becoming more expensive, while wages stay relatively the same, the public pay the price. Corporate profits are seen
- Nepo baby: Short for nepotism baby,
- Deinfluencing / de-influencing: When a social media influencer (someone with lots of followers on a social media platform
- Permacrisis: An extended period of instability and uncertainty, on a national or international scale.
- Semaglutide: A medication prescribed to those with high blood sugar to suppress appetites. Very niche, and questionably on this list at all.
- Bazball: A style of cricket, played in a highly aggressive manner, named after former New Zealand cricketer Brendon “Baz” McCullum.
- Ulez: The acronym for Ultra-Low Emission Zone.
- Ultraprocessed / ultra-processed: Food produced with complex industrial methods, and containing ingredients of little to no nutritional value.
- Canon event: An event seen as pivotal and essential for the formation of an individual character or identity.
- Debanking: The practice of depriving a person of banking facilities, as happened to Nigel Farage.
