AI exists inside broken systems: exploited labor, concentrated corporate power, and real environmental cost. That's the ground it's built on, and none of us gets to operate perfectly inside those systems.
I’d like to be honest with you about where I land on AI — because if you engage with my content, I think you deserve to know. I don't believe AI is neutral. I don't believe it's consequence-free, and I definitely don't believe it replaces human creativity or expertise. So I try to make intentional, selective choices about how I use it, stay honest about the tradeoffs, and keep pushing for the structural change that actually matters. This page is my attempt to do that out loud.
Not all AI is the same, and that distinction matters to me. Many digital tools have quietly used AI for years — spam filters, autocorrect, search algorithms, accessibility features. We've been living alongside that kind of AI for a long time without a second thought, and that's not what this policy is about.
This is about generative AI: tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and similar platforms that produce text, images, or other content from a prompt. These tools require a different level of consideration — in regards to energy consumption, labor practices, and how much power gets consolidated into a handful of tech corporations. They require real scrutiny.
I use generative AI for business purposes only. Largely, I use it as a thought partner and productivity aid for things like:
Drafting and editing business copy
Brainstorming, organizing and outlining
Research and information synthesis
Operational tasks that lighten the administrative load
What I want you to know, though, is that I don't use it to replace my voice, my values, or my relationships with people, including clients. Everything I publish reflects my perspective and goes through my own editorial judgment. I don’t outsource my thinking to a machine — I use it as a tool so I can work a little more efficiently and spend more of my time and energy on what truly matters to me — being present in my family, community and daily life, and hopefully, providing valuable resources to you, while contributing to broadscale collective healing and transformation.
I strive to be honest with myself, and with you, about the often harmful impact of generative AI, both environmentally and ethically.
Environmental impact. Training and running large AI models takes real energy, real water, real natural resources. The cost is real, and it often falls hardest on communities already living the climate crisis, not the ones benefiting most from the technology.
Labor exploitation. AI systems are built on the work of countless people, often without their knowledge or consent, as well as the largely invisible labor required to train them. Workers who label and moderate training data—many in the Global South—are frequently underpaid and exposed to disturbing content. This labor makes AI possible, yet is too often overlooked. The people behind these systems deserve acknowledgment, fair compensation, meaningful consent, and protection.
Power consolidation. A small number of corporations control the most powerful AI systems. No individual can opt out of that — it's a systemic reality. I think about it often, and I believe it calls for policy intervention, not just personal virtue.
The greater responsibility here lies with corporations and governments, not individual users like me or you, and I believe structural accountability needs to outweigh personal consumption choices as we navigate the coming years. That said... I still choose to use these tools mindfully, in limited ways, and in ongoing reflection.
There is no perfect way to operate ethically inside systems built on exploitation. That's true of AI, just as it’s true of banking, social media, supply chains — every structure we navigate as humans in the modern world, every single day.
Using AI doesn't make me a hypocrite, nor does not using it make someone a purist. What matters, I believe, is that we think critically, choose intentionally, stay honest about the tradeoffs, and keep pushing for the systemic change that actually moves the needle.
The technology is developing quickly. My understanding will continue to develop, too. I'll update this policy as I learn more, as the landscape shifts, and as better options become available. If you have feedback for me regarding these issues and this policy, I welcome it — let’s grow together.