The word “AI,” an abbreviation for artificial intelligence, has been chosen as the Collins Word of the Year for 2023. This selection acknowledges the significant impact and influence of artificial intelligence on various facets of daily life and industries in recent times.
The term “AI” had accelerated in usage and became the dominant conversation of 2023. AI has seen rapid development, becoming as ubiquitous and embedded in our lives as technologies like email and streaming. As Collins managing director Alex Beecroft mentioned, AI has transitioned from a futuristic concept to an everyday technology.
To determine the word of the year, Collins’ lexicographers analysed the Collins Corpus, a vast database containing over 20 billion words derived from diverse sources such as websites, newspapers, magazines, and spoken material. The data from this corpus revealed that the use of “AI” had significantly risen and had been a major talking point in 2023.
While “AI” took the top spot, other words and phrases also gained prominence in 2023. Some of these included “nepo baby,” a term for children of celebrities who succeed in industries similar to their parents; “greedflation,” denoting companies profiting during a cost-of-living crisis; and “Ulez,” representing the ultra-low emission zone in London.
In previous years, Collins had chosen words like “permacrisis” for 2022, which described “an extended period of instability and insecurity,” and “lockdown” for 2020, reflecting the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The selection of “AI” underscores the growing influence of artificial intelligence across various sectors and its increasing integration into everyday conversations and lifestyles.
