AI: The Thing Nobody Can Stop Talking About

I want to take a moment and talk about AI yes, that elephant in the room we’re all circling around.

I’m not comfortable with a lot of what it represents. But I’d be dishonest if I said there was nothing useful about it. And I haven’t quite figured out how to sit with that contradiction yet, so here’s where I’m at.

The problems are real. The energy and water consumption alone should give anyone pause. What frustrates me most is that these weren’t unavoidable they were design choices. Gray water cooling, solar energy, smarter infrastructure from the start. These solutions existed. They just weren’t prioritized. That’s not a technology problem, that’s a values problem.

Then there’s jobs. This is the big one, and honestly, I’m still working through it. Will AI take jobs? Almost certainly some, yes that’s what new technology does. But new technology also creates jobs that didn’t exist before. I’m not ready to call it either way. What I am paying attention to is something different.

I believe we’re heading toward a cultural correction. People are going to start wanting things made by human hands again clothes, shoes, furniture. Things with a story. Things built with skill and intention rather than stamped out for a brand name. For too long we’ve chased labels over quality, and convenience over craft. I think that’s starting to shift, and I think AI will actually accelerate it. When everything is generated, the handmade becomes rare. And rare things have value.

That’s a bit of a personal stake for me to admit furniture is my livelihood but I genuinely believe it.

So what do I actually use AI for? Here’s my honest answer: I’m dyslexic. Most people with dyslexia struggle with writing, not because we aren’t intelligent or well-read, but because the words don’t land on the page the way they exist in our heads. Without AI helping me with grammar and spelling, you wouldn’t be able to read most of what I write. That’s it. That’s the whole use case for me. It’s an accessibility tool, and for that I’m grateful.

One last thought. I’ve noticed younger generations pulling away from social media in favor of getting outside, being in the physical world. I think that same instinct will shape how they use AI not as a crutch for everything, but selectively, for the specific things they genuinely need it for. That feels healthy to me.

I don’t have all the answers on this one. But I think asking the honest questions is a decent place to start.

Tell me your thoughts on this