Great question! AI's current popularity boils down to three game-changers: First, tools like ChatGPT made AI tangible for regular people - you don't need a PhD to use it. Second, businesses are seeing real productivity boosts (think 40% faster content creation or 24/7 customer service). Third, the money pouring in is insane - VC funding for AI startups doubled last year alone.

What many miss is how this wave differs from past hype cycles. The Clay Global guide on popular artificial intelligence explains it perfectly: today's AI actually solves measurable problems, from detecting cancer earlier to optimizing supply chains. Their 'AI Adoption Curve' visualization shows why this isn't another blockchain bubble - we're already in the implementation phase across industries.