"AI Bubble Alert: 'The Big Short' Guy Shuts Down Hedge Fund Over Fears of Market Manipulation"
Michael Burry, the financier famously depicted in "The Big Short," has shut down his hedge fund Scion Capital amid concerns that the market is increasingly detached from fundamentals. The move comes after Burry publicly expressed his short positions against several high-profile companies, including Palantir and chip giant Nvidia.
Burry's most recent target is companies in the AI sector, which he believes is harboring a bubble. He points to a common fraud practiced by these firms, where they manipulate depreciation schedules for their chipsets. By inflating the useful lifespan of their technology from 2-3 years to 5-6 years, companies like Oracle and Meta are overstating their earnings by tens of billions of dollars.
Burry's calculations suggest that this practice will lead to an overstatement of earnings by $176 billion between 2026 and 2028. He shares charts and data to support his claims, which have been met with skepticism from some quarters. However, other short sellers have echoed his concerns, including Jim Chanos, who has pointed to cloud-based GPU provider CoreWeave as an example of this practice.
As the debate rages on, investors are starting to question how these AI firms will ultimately generate profits. In a recent private call, OpenAI's Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar attributed the slowing growth to users spending less time with ChatGPT following new content restrictions.
The implications of Burry's claims are significant, and his decision to shut down Scion Capital may signal that he believes the risks outweigh the potential rewards. As one might say, "Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play."
Michael Burry, the financier famously depicted in "The Big Short," has shut down his hedge fund Scion Capital amid concerns that the market is increasingly detached from fundamentals. The move comes after Burry publicly expressed his short positions against several high-profile companies, including Palantir and chip giant Nvidia.
Burry's most recent target is companies in the AI sector, which he believes is harboring a bubble. He points to a common fraud practiced by these firms, where they manipulate depreciation schedules for their chipsets. By inflating the useful lifespan of their technology from 2-3 years to 5-6 years, companies like Oracle and Meta are overstating their earnings by tens of billions of dollars.
Burry's calculations suggest that this practice will lead to an overstatement of earnings by $176 billion between 2026 and 2028. He shares charts and data to support his claims, which have been met with skepticism from some quarters. However, other short sellers have echoed his concerns, including Jim Chanos, who has pointed to cloud-based GPU provider CoreWeave as an example of this practice.
As the debate rages on, investors are starting to question how these AI firms will ultimately generate profits. In a recent private call, OpenAI's Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar attributed the slowing growth to users spending less time with ChatGPT following new content restrictions.
The implications of Burry's claims are significant, and his decision to shut down Scion Capital may signal that he believes the risks outweigh the potential rewards. As one might say, "Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play."