A technology worker describes the moral and social toll of refusing to use or endorse AI systems

The author, who works in tech and understands AI systems, states they are "vehemently anti-AI" and believe no positive outcome justifies the harms already done. They describe reaching a point of cutting entire communities out of their life because those communities promote AI usage.

The author identifies specific harms they oppose: environmental impact, exploitation of workers, theft from vulnerable people, cognitive skill degradation, centralization of power, disinformation spread, web degradation, and destruction of career paths. They also note that regular users do not recognize when AI systems generate false information (called "hallucinations").

The author's stance has isolated them socially—they describe feeling stomach-turned when respected people endorse or use AI openly, walking out of presentations, and avoiding friends whose phone usage makes AI interaction automatic for them. They state: "if you know all the harms and use it 'because it's convenient' in spite of all of that, damn right I'll judge you."