The U.S. economy is looking pretty solid right now—at least on the surface. Unemployment is low, the stock market is climbing compared to last year, and inflation seems to be cooling down. Of course, not everyone is feeling these benefits, but things could definitely be worse. As 2024 approaches, President-elect Donald Trump aims to shake up this status quo.

Trump has repeatedly promised big changes, including imposing heavy tariffs on major trading partners, which could drive up costs for everyday Americans. His plans for mass deportations could create chaos in industries like agriculture and construction that depend on immigrant workers. On top of that, his push to dismantle parts of the federal government may create ripple effects across the economy. However, Trump has a history of overpromising and underdelivering, so it’s unclear how much of this will actually happen.

If these policies trigger a recession, Americans might come to an unsettling realization: a lot of the U.S. economy isn’t as stable as it seems. A significant portion is propped up by wealthy individuals who are doing whatever they can to keep things afloat—even influencing elections to protect their interests. If this bubble bursts, 2024 could go down as the year it fully took over.

Two industries highlight this so-called “fake economy” more than any others: cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI). Let’s start with crypto. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin were supposed to offer a revolutionary alternative to traditional currencies like the U.S. dollar. Initially created during the Great Recession, crypto aimed to bypass government control and help ordinary people rather than banks or politicians. But reality tells a different story.

Crypto has largely failed to become a practical part of daily life. You still can’t buy groceries with Bitcoin or Ethereum like you can with cash or credit. Instead of becoming a true alternative currency, crypto has morphed into a tool for speculation and influence. Its backers have pumped huge sums—over $135 million—into U.S. politics to gain favor in Washington. This money helps ensure that regulators don’t clamp down too hard on the industry. Trump has even talked about turning the U.S. into a “Bitcoin superpower,” pushing for pro-crypto figures in key government positions.

But crypto has its dark side. Scams are rampant, with terms like “rug-pull” (where creators cash out and leave investors holding worthless assets) becoming common vocabulary. One recent example involved an influencer promoting a new coin that skyrocketed to $500 million in value before crashing when the creators cashed out.

Now, some crypto enthusiasts want the U.S. government—and by extension taxpayers—to buy into their game. A bill introduced by Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis proposes creating a “strategic Bitcoin reserve,” requiring the government to spend billions annually on Bitcoin for five years. This would essentially bail out early crypto investors by letting them offload their holdings at taxpayer expense.

While crypto struggles to prove its worth, AI is making waves—though not without its own problems. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and others are being hailed as groundbreaking technology. However, these programs don’t actually think or understand like humans; they simply generate responses based on data they’ve been trained on. The results can be impressive but are often riddled with mistakes or “hallucinations,” where the AI fabricates information.

These issues have already caused real-world problems. Lawyers using AI have submitted fake court cases, and Apple’s AI misrepresented a news story in a way that could have caused serious confusion. While AI offers potential benefits, companies are rushing to release products without fully considering what consumers actually need or want.

Some tech leaders, like Marc Andreessen, argue that AI will transform society for the better, leading to massive productivity gains and even economic utopia. But skeptics worry that this vision comes at a cost—jobs lost to automation and industries replaced by glitchy machines that can’t match human nuance. Already, companies are using AI in questionable ways, like allegedly denying healthcare claims without proper review.

Both crypto and AI share a tendency to overpromise while underdelivering in practice. Crypto touted itself as a financial revolution but remains riddled with scams and impracticalities. AI has enormous potential but is currently plagued by errors and mismanagement. Yet both industries rely on fear of missing out (FOMO) and grand promises to attract investors and public support.

Meanwhile, massive investments in AI are raising questions about whether these companies can ever generate enough revenue to justify their sky-high valuations. For instance, OpenAI recently announced additional funding that values it at $157 billion—despite losing $5 billion this year and projecting profitability only by 2029.

As Trump takes office again in 2024, these two industries have their sights set on shaping policy in their favor. Whether through crypto lobbying for federal backing or AI pushing for deregulation, both seek government support to further their agendas. The big question is whether their lofty promises will materialize—or if the bubble will burst first.