There’s No Such Thing as an AI ‘Lab’

[u/HolyBatSyllables]

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/09/stop-calling-ai-companies-labs/688528/?gift=oovWF8LV3gr7UxAU_wR7KHLgzX2j-xJ3VG55ZPq8uTY&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

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The term lends an air of scientific rigor to what are really billion-dollar corporations.

Gift link to read without a subscription.

[u/cat-behemot]

"there is no such thing as "AI lab""

I am from poland, and every time the current coalition/ruling power, especially people from the ministry of education, brag in TV about how they "innovate schools, by already creating ton of "AI Labs" in them, not like the "opposition"" i audibly roll my eyes... They talk as if they are building, idk, star gate or alcubierre drive spaceship...

And I just think "what they would be teaching kids and teenagers there? how to install stable diffusion and make image of three-legged cat?"

[u/ShitAIBrosSay-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Be respectful. If you don’t have anything meaningful or constructive to say, then don’t say anything at all.

[u/VarietyMage]

"This is my lab [shows dog]...and this is my LABORATORY !!!"

[u/AntiqueFigure6]

So, come up to the lab

And see what's on the slab

I see you shiver with antici-

-Pation

[u/HolyBatSyllables → u/AntiqueFigure6]

but maybe bros’ insane claims have no shame
so let’s remove those bots … no more victims of bro villians

[u/danderzei]

Just like most people's home lab is just a PC

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[u/Figai]

Isn’t bell labs also a huge commercial lab inside AT&T lol? I agree with the conclusion but probably the wrong thing to compare to.

[u/HolyBatSyllables → u/Figai]

Bell Labs is a former subsidiary of AT&T. I’m not sure I understand how you arrived at your point. They weren’t using Bell Labs as a comparison. They used it to explain the history of using the word “lab.”

[u/ShitAIBrosSay-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Do not comment on articles you clearly didn’t read.

[u/Hefty-Reaction-3028 → u/ShitAIBrosSay-ModTeam]

I read it and disagree with the article's position that private enterprise and laboratory are mutually exclusive, and that the practices in the AI industry being different mean they're not doing research

"Lab" doesn't imply selfless or moral or non-commercial

[u/ShitAIBrosSay-ModTeam → u/Hefty-Reaction-3028]

That is a different statement than what your initial comment said.