AI Is Everyone's New Favorite Scapegoat
Getting mad at the wrong thing means you miss the risks that actually matter
I was on a local social media forum recently and came across an intriguing post. Someone wrote that they had gone to their doctor in town and a human wouldn’t speak with them unless they checked in with “AI.” They found this insulting (their words) and wrapped up their thoughts by saying that they want a real human involved in their medical care every step of the way, not artificial intelligence.
That doesn’t sound too unreasonable, right? It’s a new technology that a lot of people don’t understand or trust yet.
Except that the check-in system they described with so much vitriol wasn’t actually AI. It was a standard digital check-in system that has been available in doctor’s offices and hospitals for more than a decade, long before anyone was calling anything artificial intelligence.
The comments quickly devolved into two camps: people who think AI needs to DIE and is ruining the world!!!! and people politely pointing out that this individual was understandably frustrated, but mislabeling the object of their anger.
The New Habit of Blaming “AI” for Everything
I’ve been noticing more and more of a backlash toward AI, both online and in the real world.
At first it was the new shiny thing, but that eventually gave way to the realization that AI was having serious consequences in the real world. Jobs being replaced or shifting due to automation and generative AI. Creative work becoming devalued. Data centers using up natural resources and driving up electricity costs for everyone (a hot topic here in Virginia, where I live).
Now, more and more people are turning against AI. To the point where “AI” is now a label being used to discredit technology or content that people don’t like or agree with.
Some of the concerns about AI are valid. There’s no doubt that AI is changing the world and the way we work. But many fears become exaggerated as the technology becomes a mirror for cultural and personal anxieties.
The Real Risk in the Age of AI
The biggest risk may not be AI itself. It may be losing the ability to think clearly about the technology.
There are two extreme views, neither of which is ideal.
The first is blind optimism: the view that AI will solve every problem in the world and should be integrated into everything, immediately.
The second is blind panic: AI is ruining the world and no one should use it for anything.
How do we distinguish the real, tangible risks of AI without falling victim to anxiety and moral panic? I flesh this out in my recent blog post Personal AI Risk: What’s Real and How to Prepare.
Every new technology arrives carrying both opportunity and risk. Empowerment comes with seeing it clearly enough to be able to identify and manage the risks properly.
Recent Happenings
Summer is in full swing here, and I’m enjoying a mix of productivity and downtime.
I’m still working on posts for CyberRiskWitch.com, where the majority of my content lives. In the meantime, you can check out these recent posts:
Risk Intuition: Your Body’s Built-In Threat Detection System
Casting Illusions: Why Influencer Culture is a Cybersecurity Risk
Personal Risk Blindness: The Hidden Attack Surface of Everyday Life
Personal AI Governance: Privacy and Autonomy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Katherine | Cyber Risk Witch 🪄