Selected from a collection that encompasses terms like ‘greedflation,’ ‘nepo baby,’ and ‘deinfluencing,’ the utilization of the word ‘AI’ has quadrupled this year
The term “AI” has been designated the most noteworthy word of 2023 by Collins dictionary. Defined as “the modelling of human mental functions by computer programs,” AI was selected due to its rapid acceleration and dominance in conversations this year, with its usage quadrupling. The decision was made from a list of new terms reflecting the evolving language and concerns of users, including terms like “greedflation” and “debanking.”
“Nepo baby,” referring to the offspring of celebrities whose careers are assumed to benefit from their famous parent, and “deinfluencing,” defined as using social media to caution followers against certain commercial products or lifestyle choices, were included in the list. The annual word of the year is chosen by lexicographers monitoring various sources, including social media. Last year’s term was “permacrisis,” and “NFT” was chosen the year before. In 2020, the word of the year was “lockdown.”
In 2023, health-related concerns took center stage, as indicated by the publisher. The term “ultra-processed,” referring to food prepared using complex industrial methods with little or no nutritional value, and “semaglutide,” an appetite-suppressing medication, are highlighted. The use of “Ulez,” an acronym for ultra-low emissions zone restricting more polluting vehicles in central London, has tripled in the past year.
“Bazball,” a style of test cricket characterized by highly aggressive batting, was acknowledged, named after former New Zealand cricketer and coach Brendon “Baz” McCullum. The term “canon event,” denoting an episode crucial to an individual’s character or identity formation, gained popularity thanks to the movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Alex Beecroft, Collins’ managing director, emphasized that there is “no question” that AI has been the predominant topic of discussion in 2023. He noted that AI has significantly evolved, swiftly becoming as commonplace and integrated into our lives as email, streaming, or any other technology that was once considered futuristic and is now part of our daily routine.