What AI skeptics said would wake them up is happening now

An analysis of Hacker News comments from 2016 to 2026 reveals a compelling social study of AI advancement. The creator gathered about 800 statements beginning with 'wake me up when AI can...' and presented them to the community for voting on whether those milestones have been achieved. Over 100,000 votes from nearly 9,700 people weighed in on questions ranging from the Turing test to automated content generation.

The results show a fascinating evolution of expectations. About 8% of statements were about the Turing test, where the plain version now receives a clear 'yes', but as more qualifiers are added, the perceived pass rate drops. This demonstrates how quickly the technological status quo shifts and how 'moving the goalposts' affects our perception of AI breakthroughs. The project serves as a unique time capsule and highlights how rapidly we normalize once-unthinkable capabilities.