Librarians in South Philadelphia and Maine are hosting 'Avoiding AI' workshops that have gone viral, drawing over 70 attendees each. Charlie Bailey, a librarian in South Philadelphia, led the workshop, which guides participants through disabling AI features on major tech platforms. 'I was inspired by the feeling of people’s frustration with AI tools being kind of forced onto them,' Bailey said. The workshop, which lasts an hour, covers how AI chatbots and other consumer tools work and provides step-by-step instructions for turning off specific features. Bailey emphasized the importance of digital literacy and helping people reclaim control over their use of AI technology. 'It’s important, especially when it can be so difficult not to use them,' he said. The event is part of a growing trend of librarians addressing public concerns about AI adoption and its impact on daily life.
The 'Avoiding AI' workshops have seen significant interest, with Cyrus’ first two sessions attracting around 70 attendees each. Cyrus, a librarian in Maine, initially planned to host a small class but had to limit registration to 30 people and open a waitlist due to high demand. Her workshop, which includes practical tips for disabling AI features, has been shared on Zoom and has attracted a large online audience. The library’s Instagram post about the event received over 2,000 likes and 220 shares, far exceeding the engagement of most of its other posts. Bailey, inspired by Cyrus’ success, hosted a similar workshop in Philadelphia, which also drew a large crowd, prompting him to schedule a second session.
The workshops reflect a broader movement among librarians and users who are concerned about the forced adoption of AI tools. Attendees shared personal frustrations, such as being overwhelmed by AI-generated content at work and worries about the environmental impact of data centers. While some attendees expressed skepticism toward AI, others acknowledged its potential benefits, such as optical character recognition for digitizing old documents. Cyrus noted that the anti-AI movement is not about rejecting technology entirely but rather advocating for greater control and autonomy in its use. 'The awareness has been growing for a long time that these products and companies have an outsized influence over us,' she said.
Source: techcrunch
