Collins Dictionary names ‘AI’ its word of the year for 2023 as it ‘has accelerated at such a fast pace’

The Collins Word of the Year 2023 is...

Collins Dictionary has chosen ten words that sum up 2023, with the abbreviation of artificial intelligence (AI) being named the ‘Word of the Year 2023’.

Widely considered to be the next great technological revolution, AI has seen rapid development and has been much talked about this year, with usage of the term quadrupling.

The lexicographers at Collins Dictionary monitor the 20-billion-word Collins Corpus which draws from a range of media sources, including social media, to create the annual list of new and notable words that reflect our ever-evolving language and the preoccupations of those who use it.

Collins Dictionary said it has named ‘AI’ its word of the year after it became ‘the dominant conversation of 2023’.

They chose ‘AI’ as Word of the Year as it ‘has accelerated at such a fast pace and become the dominant conversation of 2023’.

Alex Beecroft, managing director of Collins, said: “We know that AI has been a big focus this year in the way that it has developed and has quickly become as ubiquitous and embedded in our lives as email, streaming or any other once futuristic, now everyday technology.

“Use of the word as monitored through our Collins Corpus is always interesting and there was no question that this has also been the talking point of 2023.”

Other words on Collins list include “nepo baby”, which has become a popular phrase to describe the children of celebrities who have succeeded in industries similar to those of their parents, and “debanking” or depriving people of banking facilities

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage hit the headlines when he said his Coutts account had been shut down by NatWest Group because his political beliefs did not align with the bank.

A report by law firm Travers Smith showed “serious failings” in the bank’s treatment of him but also said Mr Farage’s accounts being unprofitable was the principle reason for the decision.

Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis, the daughter of Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, and singer Noel Gallagher, the father of model Anais Gallagher, have both spoken about the nepo baby debate.

Gallagher told Radio X it is “human to help your children” while Curtis said after accepting a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once that people may “think, well, nepo baby”, but this is “amazing” personally.

Also on the list of key words is “ultraprocessed” or “ultra-processed” food and “semaglutide”, a medication used to control appetite.

Sold under the brand names Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson referred to the drug in his first Daily Mail column in June.

Mr Beecroft also said: “The cost-of-living crisis is also inescapable, with words like greedflation rising sharply, shining a spotlight on corporates.

“Other words in the list have also provoked interesting conversations, particularly around people’s health, with ultra-processed coming into the attention of the media and semaglutide also making headlines.”

Social media terms such as “deinfluencing” or “de-influencing”, meaning to “warn followers to avoid certain commercial products” and the TikTok trend of calling character forming experiences “canon events” are also on the Collins list.

“Greedflation”, meaning companies pushing up the cost of goods to make a profit, and “Ulez”, or the ultra-low emission zone in London, were also mentioned.

This summer’s Ashes series between England and Australia had many people talking about a style of cricket dubbed “Bazball”, according to Collins.

The term refers to New Zealand cricketer and coach Brendon McCullum, known as Baz, who has a philosophy of relaxed minds, aggressive tactics and positive vibes.

Last year, Collins chose permacrisis, defined as “an extended period of instability and insecurity”, as word of the year.