The AI Backlash: Let’s Talk About It
Understanding the risks of AI without rejecting the progress.
Not everyone is excited about the commercialized AI era.
AI is a revolutionary tool, and like anything powerful, it’s both incredible and dangerous. AI brings pros and cons depending on how it’s used.
Take fire for example — it gave us warmth, cooked our food, and allowed us to see at night. That same fire can destroy forests, homes, and lives.
Engines helped us reach loved ones faster, see the world, and step outside our bubbles. They also pushed climate change forward and contributed to melting ice caps, directly impacting life on this planet.
The internet sped up access to information and social media made connection easier. At the same time, it overwhelmed us with misinformation and chaos that messes with mental health and shapes elections.
AI is the next step forward and it won’t be the last. Like every major advancement, the outcome depends on how people choose to build and use it.
I don’t put AI in the same category as something like the atomic bomb. This isn’t a technology that should be avoided or erased. I believe AI should exist because of the breakthroughs it makes possible in research, medicine, education, and addressing inequity.
At the same time, AI can be just as dangerous in the wrong hands. Harm is always possible, even when it’s not the goal. The most we can do is try to reduce that harm, because avoiding it completely isn’t realistic.
Lack of regulation, accountability, and consequences has already led to deepfakes, disinformation, algorithmic bias, job displacement, security vulnerabilities, and growing environmental harm from energy-hungry data centers. Still, AI isn’t something we can protest or boycott out of existence. It’s already embedded into our daily lives whether you’re a user or a builder.
Engaging with AI consciously matters. Full opposition won’t stop its progress, it just increases the risk of being left behind, and not just economically, but in the breakthroughs that could improve our lives.
AI ethics are critical, but ethics aren’t about eliminating harm; they’re about recognizing it and reducing it. Anything made by humans will carry human flaws because we are naturally imperfect. Intent can be twisted, and ignorance can lead to unintended consequences.
While leaders and decision-makers are the ones who will set the rules for AI, individuals still have power in how they use it. You can start by researching which models are the most ethical, practicing original thought before turning to AI for answers, verifying outputs for accuracy and bias, and learning best practices for using AI safely and responsibly.
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I think that’s what’s most important right now. Education about how to minimize harm, and how/when to consciously use it. As everyday users we still have power.