Generative AI Policy

I don't use generative AI or other forms of LLM in any part of my creative process, and typically prefer work that's similarly human made. My stance may change over time, but currently it's based on both the unethical systems around today's LLMs and my love of human-made work.

The Ethics

We all know the unethical structures supporting today's "AI Boom". These LLMs are trained off stolen material or destroy human-made works for their training. Their data centers harm the environment and surrounding communities between emissions, water usage, and power usage. They're the excuse behind laying off thousands, not paying artists, and ending entry-level positions. Then there's the deepfakes, misinformation, propaganda, surveillance, and more.
All this still infuriates me, especially because we have the ability to do better, but we're simply not. As in many other industries, the goal is profits over people despite how easily we could decide otherwise.
That said, as I've learned more and listened more and thought more, I've concluded that even if all of those ethical problems were solved (and I would very much like them to be), I still wouldn't use genAI in my creative processes. The ethics are important, but more than that, I love creating too much to offload any part of the process.

The Process

Writing is how I parse my experiences and work through feelings. It's how I exercise my mind, build skills, and explore things that will never come to pass. It's also how I create what I would love to read, find community of people with similar loves, and build connections with those around me.
When I read, it's to enjoy something written with the same care I put into my own writing. I follow authors to see how they change over the years and check their acknowledgements to appreciate everyone involved in the process. I reread to find new hints about the person behind the words, to make a human connection across space and time.
Why have a computer do for me the things that bring me so much joy? Why have it generate ideas and solutions when there are so many benefits to figuring it out myself? Why use a program designed for averages when there are people who can help me be so much more? Why read what a computer generated when there are incredible human writers with unique voices and perspectives?
Creating is an act, and a deeply personal one. My life is richer for taking every step of the process myself, and for engaging with other creators who do the same. Of all the tasks I'd love to offload to AI, creation isn't one, and I don't think it ever will be.

More Opinions

Many creators have come to similar conclusions as I have. I don't necessarily agree with everything in the below sources, but they have helped me form my own opinion or find the words to express it.

The Hidden Cost of AI Art, speech by writer Brandon Sanderson. Video from the Tailored Realities release event at Dragonsteel Nexus, 4 Dec 2025; Transcript posted 30 Jan 2026.

Evolution of AI and Creativity, a conversation between musician Utada Hikaru and historian Yuval Noah Harari, 13 Jul 2025

The Left Doesn't Hate Technology, We Hate Being Exploited, article on Aftermath By Gita Jackson, 19 Feb 2026

From Interactive to Interpassive, article by Eryk Salvaggio, 30 Nov 2025