its time to say something, so…
here’s my stance
on AI use
As an artist, writer, and educator, three fields where my labor value is being directly stolen, threatened, or replaced, it is important to address the current moment and be transparent about my beliefs.
AI has been around for years, often under the term “machine learning” but it’s newest form of Generative “AI” like LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini) and Image/Video generators are harming our minds, our intuitions and the planet. Because of that, I do not under any circumstance use generative AI tools.
In solidarity with working class folks under threat by these systems, I consider myself a Luddite and “ai sober”.The speed and harm of these products is in direct opposition with my values.The companies behind these “tools” are stealing power and potable water. They are polluting cities. They are creating weapons of social contagion, and weapons of war that are harming our society wholesale. The flagrant disrespect of corporate CEOs using this tool to replace and devalue the labor of artists, teachers, and other workers is a deep reason to boycott.
as artists, educators, and consumers of art,
we must value the human made
now more than ever.
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here is my AI POLICY:
I want to influence others to write ai* policies like this on our websites. Feel free to use mine as a model for your own!
We can draw lines in the sand. Right now, it is incredibly important to be fully transparent about any and all machine learning or AI adjacent tools we use in our work and marketing. Especially if the work you do supports artists, writers, or creatives of any kind.
I don’t want to judge or shame you if you use ai tools currently, but want to invite you to consider abstaining.
Public sentiment is growing sour as these companies align with fascism. I previously used LLMs and looking back, these technologies made me disconnect from my intuition and forced me to keep working well beyond burnout.
“generative” ai:
I do not use any Generative AI features for any writing, editing, scripting or idea generation. The writing you see all over this site and on my blog is written by me, a human artist.
I previously used Grammarly for proofreading in 2023 and early 2024 but no longer do. Typos keep me human.
I do not use and have not used any generative image or video AI features in my work or as references. I especially would never use a generative AI image to accompany my writing on my blog. I made this whole class to help writers stop generating images to support their work.
I do not consent to my work being used to train AI, and I wish we had more of a choice in this.
I divested from Instagram and Facebook due to their content policies and AI stance. I still have a public profile as a portfolio.
I quit TikTok after the introduction of Sora let AI videos flood the platform and their new surveillance policies that target minorities, disabled people, and immigrants.
This website is searchable through generative AI chat tools, but AI is not used in “optimizing” the site for visibility. This decision isn’t one I took lightly, but most searches on the internet happen through AI now. After a conversation with a computer scientist friend, I learned that even opting out is often ignored by LLMs, a huge blow to artists.
machine learning:
I use on-device machine-learning powered voice-to-text features such as Dictation, Transcription in Voice Memos. These are private, and none of my data is being shared with a large surveillance company.
For accessibility, I enable machine learning auto-captioning with YouTube and Zoom.
I do still post to YouTube and Substack which utilize recommendation algorithms to push my work to new audiences.
I use a human-centered offline tech tool called Obsidian for idea generation and mind-mapping as an alternative to generative “assistants”
I also use Notion as a project tracking tool, but reached out to their support team to remove the AI features from my account. They were super nice about it too!
This website is searchable through AI tools, but AI is not used in “optimizing” the site for visibility. This decision isn’t one I took lightly, but most searches on the internet happen through AI now. After a conversation with a computer scientist friend, I learned that even opting out is often ignored by LLMs, a huge blow to artists.
As you can see, I am not perfect at abstaining from all machine learning, algorithm driven, or “smart computer” tools. I love using technology and it supports a lot of my work. but i can both use a tool and be critical of it.
I am not expecting perfection or “ai sobriety” from everyone.
Instead, we should all be mindful of how the tools we use shape the art we make. It is important to be very careful with where we put our time, energy, and ideas, as the oligarch-owned corporations value only the product of art, not the process.
Persisting in a creative practice of any kind, is an act of rebellion and solidarity against the greed that wants to destroy artists. i’d love to support you in persisting in your practice.
*In this moment, I recognize that “AI” has been turned into a catch all term for all machine learning tasks thanks to clever marketing. It is truly impossible to not use some form of “AI” which is why I feel compelled to make this page and be transparent. Features I have used for decades like content-aware fill and spot healing in Photoshop, text-to-speech, any translation app, and every social media algorithm is technically “AI”.
want some support
disconnecting from ai?
if you’ve previously worked with ai in your work and want to reconnect with systems and practices that will root you back into your human creative flow, i’d love to support you.
no judgement. no shame. guiding you back to seeds of inspiration free from harmful tech.
below is my web-ring of
human artists & writers
abstaining from AI alongside me
Want to join? Just fill out the google form!
Misty Granade (she/her) https://misty.granades.com/
Misty Granade is an abstract mixed media artist from Alabama. While she has been an artist her whole life, her professional artist career started in 2013. Her interests range across a variety of arts and crafts such as contemporary mixed media art, art journaling, book binding, eco dying, and crochet. Misty enjoys helping other artists explore their own creative paths. She writes about art and process on her blog. She has published articles in online and print magazines. She's taught art journaling classes both online and in person and been a community facilitator for an online art community. Misty's work has been a part of numerous solo and group shows.
Jessica Snow (she/her) https://youaremagicla.com/
I am a special kind of artist - my real "art pieces" are what YOU experience when you are meditating or practicing magic with me. I make philosophical/magical artworks and experiences in almost every media, and my aim is always the same - to keep us connected to the wellspring of magic, healing and goodwill life offers us and then use that connection on the behalf of the collective.
Brit (she/her) www.brittonestep.com
I’m an art and writing elder. I have mostly curated my creativity in smaller spaces and generated creativity in my work in education. In 2023 I began to write fan fiction and that rebooted my creative practice. I did get an MFA in Creative Writing which I am not embarrassed about! I value what that means now more than ever.
Tansy E. Hoskins (she/her) https://tansyhoskins.org/
Tansy Hoskins is an award-winning author and journalist who investigates the global fashion industry. Her books include The Anti-Capitalist Book Of Fashion which Vogue selected for the 'Best Fashion Books Of All Time’ and Foot Work – What Your Shoes Tell You About Globalisation. Tansy has won the ICA Bookshop Book of the Year Award, and been nominated for a British Journalism Award. She is a trainer at the Centre for Investigative Journalism. Tansy lectures on the politics of fashion supply chains across the UK at universities, museums, cultural events and political gatherings and regularly does the ‘heavy lifting’ for media interviews and discussions on the workings of the global garment industry. Meta stole her books to train its LLM.
A Queer Photog (they/them) https://www.aqueerphotog.com/
I’m Holly Stevens (they/them), a queer photographer, plant lover & parent based in the PNW. I create heirloom-quality photography of families, lovers, and more—shot on 100% film. My obsession with photography began almost two decades ago as a preteen; what began as a knack for capturing my friends grew into a lifelong artistic practice and the best job I could ask for. In my work I endeavor especially to document and elevate the lived experience of the queer community, as well as other communities facing marginalization and erasure. My imagery is intimate and joyful, exploring themes of anti-perfectionism and radical presence. I am deeply dedicated to making my clients feel lovingly cared for while we shoot, never rushing or pressuring—always sinking into the present moment. Ultimately, the purpose of my work is simply reflecting your lived experience back to you, showing that you are already a work of art, exactly as you are.
Gill Dreher (she/her) http://www.gill-d.com
I am an artist and therapist who previously worked in tech and now helps teens, adults, and families connect to themselves and each other. While I still utilize technology in my work and am tech-curious, I am staunchly AI sober.