We Don’t Need to Shame People for Using AI — We Need to Demand Better From the Companies Building It

There’s a conversation happening right now around AI and if you’ve been anywhere near social media, you’ve probably felt it.

It’s loud. It’s emotional.
And in a lot of ways… it’s justified.

Concerns about AI (environmental impact, job displacement, data usage, and the disproportionate impact on rural communities) are real. They deserve attention, discussion, and accountability.

But somewhere along the way, the conversation has started to shift in a direction that doesn’t sit right with me.

We’ve started putting the weight of this entire issue on individuals.

And I don’t think that’s where it belongs.

Let’s talk about what’s actually happening

When voices like Reese Witherspoon and Mel Robbins talk about AI, it sparks a reaction — especially when the message is about embracing the technology.

Some people feel empowered. Others feel frustrated, even angry.

And if you scroll through the comments (which I did), you’ll see exactly why.

People are worried about:

• The environmental cost of AI

• Corporations scraping and using creative work

• The potential loss of jobs

• The ethics of how this technology is being built and deployed

• And the very real impact on rural communities and Black and brown communities, who are often disproportionately affected by how and where this infrastructure is built, who benefits from it, and who bears the cost

Those are not small concerns.

But here’s the part that feels off:

We’ve started directing that frustration at individuals who are simply trying to learn, adapt, and not get left behind.

This is bigger than any one person

AI isn’t a trend you can opt out of. It’s becoming the real infrastructure.

It’s already shaping how businesses operate, how content is created, and how decisions are made.

Walking away from it entirely isn’t a realistic solution, especially for small business owners, solopreneurs, and everyday people trying to keep up.

And more importantly… it’s not a fair expectation.

Where I stand

I believe we can hold two things at the same time:

Yes — AI raises serious ethical, environmental, and social concerns.
And — stepping away from it completely isn’t the answer.

My approach is simple:

Use it consciously.
Teach others to use it responsibly.
And push accountability upward to the corporations that build and profit from it.

Because that’s where the real leverage is.

Let’s be honest about responsibility

The average person using AI to write an email, organize their finances, or save time in their business is not the root of the problem.

The scale, impact, and decision-making power sit with:

• The companies building these tools

• The infrastructure supporting them

• The policies (or lack of policies) guiding their use

That’s where conversations about environmental impact, data ethics, and labor need to be happening.

Not in the comments section shaming someone for trying to learn.

The part we don’t talk about enough

A lot of the people being criticized right now — especially women — are navigating something deeper:

They’re trying to stay relevant.
They’re trying to stay competitive.
They’re trying not to get left behind in a rapidly changing world.

And instead of being supported in that learning process, they’re being told they’re the problem.

That doesn’t move the conversation forward.

It shuts people down.

A better way to engage

What if we shifted the conversation?

Instead of “Don’t use AI.” We asked, “How do we use this responsibly and who needs to be held accountable for making that possible?”

Because both things matter.

Progress AND responsibility.

My role in this

I’m not stepping away from AI.

But I’m also not using it blindly.

I’m committed to:

• Using it thoughtfully in my work

• Teaching others how to use it with intention (because the problem isn’t AI itself, it’s how we’re using it and why it still sounds robotic!)

• Continuing to ask questions about its impact

• Advocating for accountability at the corporate level

Because this isn’t about choosing sides.

It’s about choosing responsibility — in the right places.

Final thought

This technology is moving forward whether we like it or not.

So the question isn’t, “Should we use it?”

It’s, “How do we use it well and how do we make sure the people building it are held to a higher standard?”

That’s the conversation I want to be part of.